Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is “a transmissible neurological disease of deer and elk that produces small lesions in brains of infected animals.” Several effects of CWD are loss of body condition, behavioral abnormalities, and death. It is a similar disease to “mad cow” disease in cattle. CWD can be found in the states shown in Figure 1 below:

Figure 1: The areas shown in blue are states and provinces where CWD has been found in deer and/or elk populations. *courtesy of www.cwd-info.org

The disease is spread by neither a virus nor bacteria but by prions, which are infectious proteins that lack associated nucleic acids. The disease has been found in about 2-3% of Wisconsin’s deer population. See Figure 2 for a picture of a mule deer infec

The first measure that the Department of Natural Resources took was to establish a 411 square mile area designated as the “CWD Intensive Harvest Zone” located where the first deer were identified. Their intentions were to fully eradicate all deer that were found in this area and to keep this area completely “deer-less” for 5 years. Their theory was that if the herd size of the deer was reduced, there would be much less animal to animal interaction between the deer. No limits were in place: all fawns, does, and bucks were to be killed on sight.

Despite the fact that CWD is a contagious and fatal disease among these deer species, scientists claim that humans have a natural immunity to the transmission of the disease. Concern still remains among hunters, even though there have been no human cases of CWD.

• Upper canine teeth, also known as "buglers," "whistlers," or "ivories."

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