Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a fatal neurological disease that effects whitetail deer and other deer species.  This disease has been spreading through the deer populations for a several years, but has recently become an issue with deer population in neighboring states to Kentucky.  Though this disease has not been found in Kentucky, Kentucky Fish and Wildlife have been monitoring the deer populations for this disease through collecting samples from harvested deer or deer that were struck by vehicles on roadways.

In September of 2021 a whitetail deer tested positive for CWD within 7 miles of the state line.  This finding caused Kentucky Fish and Wildlife to enact the state plan for CWD.  KYFW established a Surveillance Zone to include all counties within 30 miles of the positive case. (Fulton, Hickman, Calloway, Graves, and Marshall)  In the Surveillance Zone additional regulations were setup including mandatory deer check-in stations during Muzzleloader and Modern Gun seasons.  These check stations were established and ran by KYFW for the collection of tissue from harvested deer to be tested for CWD.  In Fulton County two location for testing were establish the Fulton County Extension Office and Fulton Police and Fire Department.

The Fulton, Marshall, and Calloway County Agriculture and Natural Resources Agents worked with the University of Kentucky Wildlife Specialist and Ky Fish and Wildlife Biologists to set up a Zoom Webinar to present information on CWD, the new Regulations in the Surveillance Zone, and allow participants to have a Question-and-Answer Session the video was later uploaded to YouTube.  Between the participants and YouTube this video has had over 130 views.

In addition to the Zoom meeting, the Fulton County ANR agent posted information on the Fulton County ANR Facebook page, development information packet along with venison recipes from SNAP, and put together 100 Field Dressing Kits with gloves, and carcass tag.  These kits were place at the check-in stations for hunter to pick-up and use on their next successful hunt.  

In talking with KYFW employees that were running the check-in stations.  Numerous hunters commented about the informational packets and field dressing kits that were given away at the stations.  One of the KYFW employees, made the following comment to the ANR Agent, “We greatly appreciate the use of the extension office, the hospitality from the staff, and the field dressing kits that were provided to the hunters.”  

Official numbers have not been released, but as of this story there have not been any CWD positive cases in Kentucky.