Missouri – The Missouri Department of Conservation sampled and tested more than 37,000 deer for chronic wasting disease during the 2023 CWD surveillance year, July 2023-April 2024. Out of the 37,000 deer, 162 tested positive. This latest number of positive cases brings the total to 572 in the state of Missouri since the first case in 2012.
Through the recent targeted removal, the MDC removed more than 51 CWD-positive deer to help slow the spread of the disease. The deer were found in 27 counties of Missouri including, Adair-3, Barry-1, Carroll-2, Chariton-4, Clark-1, Crawford-3, Dallas-4, Franklin-23, Grundy-1, Jasper-1, Jefferson-15, Linn-9, Macon-7, Maries-1, Oregon-4, Osage-3, Perry-3, Polk-2, Pulaski-1, Putnam-3, Randolph-4, Scotland-3, Ste. Genevieve-31, Stone-7, Sullivan-2, and Taney-9. The Missouri Department of Conservation has stated that their goal is to slow the spread of the disease while they work to find a cure. The MDC asks that all hunters continue to participate in CWD sampling and follow regulations to help slow the spread of the disease.
Chronic wasting disease is a disease found in deer that affects parts of their brain and causes progressive loss of body condition, behavioral changes, excessive salivation, and eventually death. It is 100% fatal for the animal. For more information visit mdc.mo.gov/cwd.
