April 18, 2024

NCWRC holding 3 CWD public forums

First of three CWD public forums is Sept. 22

Officials with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission have scheduled three KNOW CWD Public Forums in September and October about Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). Wildlife Commission staff will address the special regulations implemented in the CWD Surveillance Areas established after CWD was detected in two Yadkin County deer earlier this year.

Alleghany, Davie, Forsyth, Iredell, Stokes, Surry, Wilkes and Yadkin counties fall entirely or partially within the Surveillance Areas. Sportsmen and women who hunt in these areas are encouraged to attend the forums to learn about the special regulations.

Each public forum will run from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the following locations and will also stream live on the agency’s Facebook page. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. and registration is not required. Wildlife Commission staff will present information about CWD, the special regulations, and will answer as many questions from attendees as possible. Questions can also be submitted in advance via an online portal, which will remain open until Sept. 20 at 5 p.m.

The KNOW CWD Public Forum dates and locations are:

Sept. 22: Forsyth County Cooperative Extension Center, 1450 Fairchild Rd, Winston Salem
Sept. 29: Wilkes County Cooperative Extension Center, 416 Executive Dr, Wilkesboro
Oct. 4: Yadkin County Cooperative Extension Center, 2051 Agricultural Way, Yadkinville

The archery deer hunting season opened on Sept. 10, and blackpowder and gun seasons will open in the Surveillance Areas, along with the rest of the Northwestern Zone, in November. Statewide deer hunting season dates are available on the agency’s website.

CWD is a fatal, transmissible spongiform encephalopathy, caused by abnormal prions, that affects white-tailed deer and other cervids. For more information about CWD, visit ncwildlife.org/CWD. Get to KNOW CWD and North Carolina’s response through this 6-minute video released by the Wildlife Commission.