The Fourth case of Chronic Wasting Disease is suspected in Marshall County.
The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks stated in a release that a free-range, one and a half-year-old male white-tailed deer collected on November 23 in Marshall County has tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) from initial testing.
This is the first animal to test positive for the disease in Marshall County. A sample will be sent to the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Iowa for an additional, definitive test. Two previous cases were confirmed in Issaquena County and a third case was confirmed Pontotoc County.
This comes at the same time the Mississippi Wildlife Federation is asking the MDWFP to impose a statewide ban on supplemental feeding of white-tailed deer and other wildlife.
Until October of this year, hunters had to be at least 100 yards from a supplemental feeding station before a deer could be harvested, however, the MDWFP has since removed any distance requirements.
The MWF says this could be lethal for the deer population as a result of the chronic wasting disease found in Mississippi’s deer population. A release from the MWF says research indicates that CWD is transmitted through bodily fluids, but most prominently saliva which could impact supplemental feeding stations.
MDWFP is encouraging hunters to assist with CWD monitoring efforts by voluntarily submitting samples for testing. A list of CWD sample collection locations can be found on their website.
