First positive case of chronic wasting disease found in Indiana wild deer

Indianapolis — The Indiana DNR has confirmed the state’s first positive case of chronic wasting disease in LaGrange County.

This positive case is adjacent to a region where CWD had previously been detected in Michigan. CWD has been detected in wild deer in 33 states, including all states bordering Indiana.

“CWD has been in our region for many years with positive cases in all of our surrounding states,” said Joe Caudell, Indiana DNR deer biologist. “The public can help by reporting sightings of sick or dead deer to the DNR, as well as submitting harvested deer for testing during deer hunting season. Through increased awareness and testing, we can work to monitor CWD within Indiana’s deer population.”

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Because CWD had previously been detected in Michigan near the Indiana border, finding it in this area of Indiana was highly likely, Caudell said, and DNR will continue monitoring the area for CWD.

The Indiana white-tailed deer was a male harvested by a hunter and confirmed positive for CWD by two independent tests. Indiana’s various deer hunting seasons run from mid-September until the end of January.