Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a contagious, deadly brain disease of white-tailed deer and other members of the deer family, called cervids. The disease is caused by a misfolded protein and can be spread by direct contact between deer and when deer encounter the misfolded proteins in the environment after they have been shed by an infected deer.
CWD is considered by some to be one of the greatest conservation challenges of our time and is likely the greatest threat to Missouri’s deer population since the species almost disappeared from the state a century ago. Because CWD is 100% fatal to deer and significantly lowers their survival rate, it is a significant threat to Missouri’s deer population, hunting culture, and economy.
CWD was first discovered in Colorado in the late 1960s and has since spread to numerous states and several other countries. CWD was first detected in Missouri’s wild white-tailed deer herd in 2012. Since then, the disease has slowly spread within the state. Thankfully, CWD is relatively rare in Missouri at this time.
MDC is working with hunters, landowners, and conservation partners to identify where CWD exists in the state and to implement regulations and other management practices that slow the spread of CWD. By slowing the spread of CWD, these efforts are helping to protect Missouri’s deer population from this significant threat.