The Illinois Department of Natural Resources has identified chronic wasting disease (CWD) in several counties, including Putnam, Marshall, Adams, and Peoria. This concerning neurological ailment affects white-tailed deer, with Adams County experiencing its first case beyond the initial CWD region. The department focuses on implementing management strategies to hinder the disease’s expansion, safeguarding local deer populations. Efforts include targeted surveillance and population control measures. Authorities emphasize the importance of early detection and community awareness to maintain the health of deer herds and prevent CWD from jeopardizing wildlife ecosystems.
“Illinois is a national leader in managing and slowing the spread of CWD, and over the past two decades IDNR’s program has served as a model for other states,” said IDNR Director Natalie Phelps Finnie.
Affected Illinois counties now include Adams, Boone, Bureau, Carroll, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Ford, Grundy, Jo Daviess, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, LaSalle, Lee, Livingston, Marshall, McHenry, Ogle, Peoria, Putnam, Stephenson, Will, and Winnebago.
While the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have not linked CWD to human transmission, they recommend against eating meat from CWD-positive deer. Hunters are encouraged to have their deer tested and avoid consuming the brain, spinal cord, eyes, and other tissues known to harbor the CWD agent.
Go online for additional information about CWD management in Illinois, including updates made to the program in 2024. For more information about these detections or CWD, contact Chris Jacques, wildlife disease program manager, at [email protected].
