DEC Says No Chronic Wasting Disease Found In State Deer Population

ALBANY – After testing 2,483 whitetail deer, the State Department of Environmental Conservation said they found no evidence of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in the herd.

“Preventing the introduction of CWD into New York is a high priority for DEC to ensure the health of our deer herd and to protect the recreational and viewing opportunities deer provide,” DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said.

CWD has been found in 26 states. State environmental Conservation Officers increased enforcement efforts this past season, seizing and destroying hunter-killed deer brought in illegally from states where CWD has been found, Seggos explained.

He cautioned that CWD remains a threat in New York. CWD is always fatal and there are no vaccines or treatments available. CWD is a highly contagious disease impacting deer, elk,moose and reindeer. DEC has tested more than 52,000 wild white-tail deer in the last 17 years. In 2005, CWD was found in deer samples in Oneida County. No CWD has been found since then.