Chronic wasting disease (CWD) has been found in both the Upper and Lower peninsulas of Michigan.
CWD is a neurological disease that affects deer, elk and moose. It causes a degeneration of the brain. It can cause emaciation, abnormal behavior, loss of bodily functions and eventually death.
Once an animal is infected with CWD, it will not recover. There is no cure.
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What is Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD)?
CWD is caused by a normal protein, called a prion, that folds incorrectly.
It is transmitted through direct animal-to-animal contact or by contact with saliva, urine, feces, blood, carcass parts or infected soil.
Prions are extremely resistant in the environment and can stay infectious for years.
Symptoms of Chronic Wasting Disease in deer
CWD has a long incubation period, usually around 18 months but can take as long as two years for symptoms to show up.
In most cases, animals with CWD don’t have any visible symptoms of the disease until the last few months of the disease’s cycle. That means that most infected animals are virtually impossible to distinguish from healthy, non-infected animals.
Because CWD affects the neurological system of an infected animal, they usually die from predators, vehicle collisions or other diseases before CWD is visible.
If an infected animal survives to the end stages of the disease, the most obvious sign is emaciation. CWD leads to gradual loss of body condition. Other symptoms include excessive drinking and urination.
Deer will have fewer interactions with other animals, listlessness, lowering of the head, blank facial expression and repetitive walking in set patterns. In elk, you may see hyper-excitability and nervousness. Excessive salivation, drooling and grinding of the teeth have also been seen.
Can humans get chronic wasting disease?
According to the CDC, there have been no reported cases of CWD infection in people. However, it might be a risk to people if they have contact with or eat meat from animals infected with CWD.
CWD is related to another prion disease in animals that does infect people. The CDC considers CWD a “theoretical risk to people.”
Studies in monkeys suggest that they can get CWD by eating meat or brain tissue of infected deer or elk. Those studies have raised concerns that CWD can pose a risk to people.
Testing deer in Michigan for CWD
In 2024, CWD testing will be focused in some areas of the northern Lower Peninsula and the Upper Peninsula.
Counties where the DNR will test for CWD include Antrim, Arenac, Baraga, Benzie, Cheboygan, Chippewa, Clare, Dickinson, Gladwin, Grand Traverse, Houghton, Iosco, Kalkaska, Keweenaw, Leelanau, Luce, Mackinac, Manistee, Ogemaw, Ontonagon, Otsego and Schoolcraft.
In those counties, sites will pop up with at least one of the following: drop boxes, staffed submission sites, and partner processors and taxidermists to assist with collection efforts.
How to find available CWD testing sites
To find available CWD testing sites near you, visit: michigan.gov/dnr/managing-resources/wildlife/wildlife-disease/disease-monitoring/cwd/cwd-testing.
CWD testing options in Michigan
Testing locations: The DNR offers submission sites in the northern Lower Peninsula and Upper Peninsula counties that are part of the 2024 testing program. A list of submission locations is available here: michigan.gov/dnr/things-to-do/hunting/deer/deer-stations-disease-sample
Self-sample kits: Self-sample submission kits are available for hunters in certain counties where DNR submission is not available. The kits come with instructions and supplies and free overnight shipping to the diagnostic testing laboratory.
Kits are available in the following counties: Clinton, Eaton, Gogebic, Gratiot, Hillsdale, Ingham, Ionia, Iron, Isabella, Jackson, Kent, Menominee, Midland and Montcalm. Kits can be picked up from the locations listed on the CWD testing website. Hunters should call before arriving to make sure someone will be there to help them.
Sample testing for a fee: Deer harvested in counties that are not eligible for free CWD testing can be submitted for a fee. Hunters can submit samples to the Michigan State University Diagnostic Laboratory or the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.
CWD regulations to know
Deer harvested outside of Michigan and deer harvested in Montcalm County in its entirety; Otisco, Orleans, Ronald or North Plains townships in Ionia County; or Nelson, Spencer, Courtland, Oakfield, Grattan or Cannon townships in Kent County cannot be possessed or transported outside of those listed areas, unless:
- The harvested deer is deboned meat, quarters or other parts of a cervid that do not have any part of the spinal column or head attached, antlers, antlers attached to a skull or skull cap cleaned of all brain and muscle tissue, hides, upper canine teeth, or a finished taxidermist mount OR
- The deer carcass is taken directly to a registered processor; AND/OR
- The intact deer head detached from the carcass is taken directly to a licensed taxidermist.
How to dispose of deer carcasses
Carcasses should be disposed in designated landfills or buried several feet underground, according to the DNR.
Testing is voluntary
Testing his highly encouraged in areas of the state that are part of the 2024 rotational counties, but is not required. Testing is voluntary and not a legal requirement, according to the DNR.
How to report a sick deer
If you see a deer that appears ill, you can report it online at www2.dnr.state.mi.us/ors/Survey/4.
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