Since Delaware’s first-ever case of chronic wasting disease in deer was detected earlier this year, the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control has been acting with an abundance of caution. It is vital to tackle this issue early to limit the spread of this degenerative, deadly disease among Delaware’s deer population, and so we recently published new temporary regulations ahead of hunting season.

In April, the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife announced the first confirmed cases of chronic wasting disease, or CWD, in Delaware, followed by a third positive test result in September. While our state had never had a case of CWD before, 36 other states had. We knew it was just a matter of time before it arose here, which is why DNREC has tested hundreds of deer annually since 2003.

CWD is a prion disease, a degenerative condition that eats away at its host. Prion diseases occur when proteins in the brain mutate, for reasons scientists do not yet understand. While there is still much to be learned about these diseases, we do know CWD is not transmissible to humans or most other species.

However, deer can pass it to other deer through bodily fluids. Prions are not the same as viruses or bacteria — they will not be killed with heat or cold, and prions can remain on a surface for quite some time. So CWD is not just passed directly from deer to deer but also from surfaces and environments where an infected deer may be at one point and another deer may be sometime later.

To prevent the disease from spreading further, DNREC has instituted restrictions in the area, all in central Sussex. This area, known as the CWD Management Zone, or CMZ, covers Wildlife Management Zones 11, 14 and 16, and we continue to monitor the region. The CMZ is currently bounded on the west by Route 13, on the north by Route 16, on the east by Route 113 and on the south by the Maryland state line.

Baiting and feeding deer are prohibited within the CMZ area since bait brings many deer together in a small area where they can easily transmit disease through saliva or other fluids, especially since prions remain on surfaces.

Because CWD can be transmitted through urine, the possession and use of urine-based lures derived from deer is prohibited statewide for the duration of these temporary emergency regulations. If used as a lure, urine does the same thing but also, if it comes from a deer with CWD, can itself spread the disease to other areas of the state.

If you are moving a deer harvested within the CMZ to elsewhere in the state, you must either transport it to a taxidermist or deer processor or dispose of the carcass in an extra thick plastic bag at a landfill or with your normal household trash.

Additionally, anyone who harvests a deer in the CMZ during this year’s general firearm season, which runs from Nov. 13 to 22, must check it at one of two locations: the Delaware Solid Waste Authority’s Jones Crossroads Landfill or the Gumboro Service Center near where the Whitetail Open takes place.

While some hunters may find these steps burdensome, we are following the best science and acting with caution to prevent CWD from spreading and decimating Delaware’s deer population.  

To be clear, there is no reason to avoid hunting or eating venison. In fact, we are encouraging hunters to get out there and bag deer during the season. Hunters are our best method of controlling the population, and by limiting the number of deer in Delaware, we can lower the chances that CWD spreads. 

The Delaware Hunters Against Hunger program will remain available to hunters, and all deer donated through the program will be tested for CWD and disposed of if positive.

We also want to emphasize that most of these regulations only apply to the CMZ, an area encompassing about 15% of our state. Hunters are allowed to continue baiting and feeding deer throughout the rest of Delaware. 

While mandatory deer sampling will only be required in the CMZ during the November general firearm deer season, DNREC staff will be at Dutch Neck Deer Butchering in Middletown, Miller’s Butcher Shop in Camden and Johnson’s Deer Cutting in Milton to test deer being delivered for processing during that same period. Additionally, DNREC is offering self-serve locations where hunters can drop off the head from deer they harvested for testing. Results will be available on DNREC’s website.

Though these changes mostly impact hunters, we are tackling the CWD challenge on multiple fronts by also barring the rehabilitation of fawns in Sussex. CWD has been detected in very young deer, including evidence of in utero exposure, and we would otherwise risk an infected fawn being brought in for care and then transmitting the disease to other fawns at the facility. These deer could then spread it around the state when they are released into the wild.

Most of the DNREC scientists who helped create these regulations are deer hunters themselves, so our agency certainly understands how much thousands of Delawareans look forward to hunting season every year. We would not have taken these steps if we did not firmly believe they are necessary and will help us prevent CWD from becoming a much bigger problem. By acting now, we are trying to keep the prevalence low and avoid disrupting other areas in Delaware.

To learn more about CWD, testing and donation information or the regulations, visit de.gov/cwd, where we have a wealth of information and will be posting updates if they arise.

Thank you for helping us stop the spread of CWD by following these carefully considered rules.

Sam Millman is a deer biologist with the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.

Related Topics:  chronic wasting disease, CWD, deer, fish and wildlife, op-ed, outdoor delaware