DEC Says NY Deer Herd Free of Chronic Wasting Disease

Testing of more than 2,500 samples of deer statewide found no deer infected with Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) have announced.

CWD continues to pose a threat to New York's wild white-tailed deer. though. Pennsylvania discovered CWD in both captive and wild white-tailed deer as recently as 2012. Since 2002, DEC annually has tested hunter-harvested white-tailed deer for CWD, with the last confirmed case in New York being in 2005.

DEC Commissioner Joe Martens said: "DEC thanks cooperating hunters, meat processors and taxidermists that contributed samples for testing. Successful CWD surveillance depends on all of us. By testing both sick and healthy-appearing deer, DEC looks to identify the earliest intrusion of CWD into New York."

CWD is a fatal disease of deer, elk and moose that is now found in 22 states. It is in the family of diseases known as "transmissible spongiform encephalopathies" or TSEs, which includes "Mad Cow" disease. No human cases of CWD have ever been reported, according to the Federal Centers for Disease Control.

DEC will continue its educational campaign to inform hunters and the public about CWD. With prevention being the only proven management strategy for wildlife diseases, hunters are encouraged to protect New York's deer herd by knowing and following the regulations for hunting outside of New York.

Report sick deer or deer behaving abnormally to your nearest DEC office. Learn more about CWD here.