Chronic Wasting Disease

CWD has not made its way onto Wyoming's elk feedgrounds, but some fear it's only a matter of time.

The deer were killed in early November.

Chronic wasting disease is a fatal nervous system disease that affects deer, elk and moose, according to the game and fish.

Morgan Pfander, regional wildlife population biologist, said Fish and Game collects samples from an animal's lymph nodes behind the throat at the base of the skull.

WY Game and Fish Dept. held 5 public meetings to hear the public’s thoughts on how to manage Chronic Wasting Disease to update the state's management plan.

A public meeting to provide information and gather crucial public input on Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), was held last week at the Wyoming Game and Fish office in Laramie.

The animals would then be expected to forage for food during all but perhaps the most severe winters.

Although the disease has been previously documented in deer in an overlaying hunt area, this is the first time an elk has tested positive.

Game and Fish makes announcements when CWD is found in a hunting area and a map of CWD affected areas is available online.