NC confirms third case of CWD

A third case of CWD has been detected in NC

North Carolina detected its third CWD-positive deer in late October. This deer was killed by a hunter in Surry County, about 10 miles away from the two previous detections, which were both in neighboring Yadkin County.

Hunters in parts of North Carolina faced mandatory testing of their harvested deer during the 2022 season after two positive tests for Chronic Wasting Disease were discovered before the hunting season began.

The third case was a disappointment to the NCWRC, but it wasn’t wholly unexpected.

Brad Howard, Division Chief of NCWRC, said the latest positive ID shows the state’s plan of testing is working, and that the public is helping to put that plan into effect.

“Now more than ever, we need the cooperation of sportsmen and women. We need to test as many hunter-harvested deer as possible to figure out the distribution of CWD in our state and how many deer are infected,” he said.

If you’re awaiting test results from a deer you had tested, or if you have deer meat in your freezer that you’d like to get tested, or if you participate in NC’s Urban Archery Season and kill a deer you’d like tested, visit ncwildlife.org/cwd.