MICHIGAN — The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is asking hunters who have harvested deer in Mecosta, Newaygo, Kent, Montcalm and Ionia counties this season to submit the deer for testing of chronic wasting disease (CWD).
The DNR said they are looking to understand how the levels of CWD have changed since 2019, the last time the department did intensive sampling in the area.
CWD is a progressive and transmissible neurological disease with no known cure, and infected deer can spread the disease to other deer for a long time before having noticeable symptoms, according to the DNR. The disease could cause permanent declines in the population in the future, which is causing concern among wildlife biologists.
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“We need to understand the prevalence of CWD in this group of counties to determine what disease management options are available, and we are asking the local hunting community for their support. We can’t get this done without you,” Brent Rudolph, deer, elk and moose management specialist for the DNR Wildlife Division, said. “Our goal is to understand the prevalence of CWD, meaning how common it is in this specific area. We are committed to sharing our findings and engaging with local hunters, landowners and community stakeholders before making decisions about management options.”…