Thursday, March 9, 2023

Virginia: 2023 CWD Surveillance Results for Disease Management Areas

DWR Reports 2022 – 2023 Chronic Wasting Disease Surveillance Results for Disease Management Areas

RICHMOND, VA — The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) reports the results of chronic wasting disease (CWD) surveillance from within the Department’s three CWD Disease Management Areas (DMA) for the 2022 - 2023 deer hunting season.

For the 2022 - 2023 hunting season, DMA1 included Clarke, Frederick, Shenandoah, and Warren counties. As of March 3rd, 435 deer from DMA1 have been sampled for CWD. Thirty white-tailed deer originating from DMA1 were confirmed to be infected with CWD; twenty-four CWD-positive deer were reported from Frederick County, four from Shenandoah County, and one CWD-positive deer was reported from both Warren and Clarke counties. No changes to the DMA1 boundaries are expected at this time for the 2023 – 2024 deer hunting season.

DMA2 is currently comprised of Culpeper, Fauquier, Loudoun, Madison, Page, Orange, and Rappahannock counties. As of March 3rd, 1,638 deer from DMA2 have been sampled for CWD. Five white-tailed deer from DMA2 were confirmed to be infected with CWD; three CWD-positive deer were reported in Loudoun County and single CWD-positive deer were reported from both Madison and Culpeper counties. Additionally, a positive detection was found in Fairfax County just outside of DMA2.

As a result, DMA2 will be expanded to include Fairfax, Prince William, and Arlington counties for the 2023-2024 deer hunting season. In accordance with the DWR’s CWD Management Plan, regulatory actions will go into effect in Fairfax, Prince William, and Arlington counties beginning May 1st, 2023 and will include the following:

  1. Prohibition on white-tailed deer fawn rehabilitation.
  2. Restricted carcass transport.
    1. Whole deer carcasses and any parts containing brain and/or spinal cord tissues originating from Fairfax, Prince William, or Arlington counties may only be transported to locations within Fairfax, Prince William, Arlington, Loudoun, Fauquier, Rappahannock, Culpeper, Page, Madison, Orange, Frederick, Clarke, Warren, and Shenandoah counties (please seedwr.virginia.gov/wildlife/diseases/cwd/what-you-need-to-know-about-hunting-in-culpeper-and-nearby-counties/for additional information on deer carcass transport restrictions).



      *Until May 1st, it is strongly recommended that hunters follow these guidelines and minimize carcass transport as much as possible.

For the 2022 – 2023 deer hunting season, DMA3 encompassed Floyd, Montgomery, Carroll, and Pulaski counties. As of March 3rd, 1,170 deer have been sampled for CWD. Eight hunter-harvested deer originating from DMA3 were confirmed to be infected with CWD. Four CWD-positive deer were harvested in Montgomery County, three in Floyd, and one CWD-positive deer was harvested in Pulaski County. The Pulaski County positive was the first detection in the county.

As a result of a CWD detection in Surry County, North Carolina, Patrick County will be added to DMA3 for the 2023 – 2024 deer hunting season. This detection was less than 10 miles from the Patrick County border. In accordance with the DWR’s CWD Management Plan, regulatory actions which go into effect in Patrick County beginning May 1st, 2023 include the following:

  1. Prohibition on white-tailed deer fawn rehabilitation.
  2. Restricted carcass transport.
    1. Whole deer carcasses and any parts containing brain and/or spinal cord tissues originating from Patrick County may only be transported to locations within Patrick, Carroll, Floyd, Montgomery, and Pulaski counties (please see dwr.virginia.gov/wildlife/diseases/cwd/dma3for additional information on deer carcass transport restrictions).



      Feeding deer is prohibited year-round within twenty-five miles of a CWD detection. Effective immediately, Augusta and Fluvanna counties are added to the year-round feeding ban due to the location of the positive detection within Madison County.
       

The Department sincerely appreciates the assistance of deer hunters in these areas for their willingness to allow their deer to be tested for CWD. Additionally, DWR is grateful for the help of commercial deer processors and taxidermists from these 15 counties who also assisted with our CWD surveillance efforts this fall.

In addition to sampling in the Disease Management Areas, DWR partnered with dozens of taxidermists to enhance CWD surveillance throughout the remainder of Virginia. This partnership proved effective in acquiring nearly 2,000 samples from across the state. The results of this effort are currently pending and will be released once received from the laboratory.

CWD has been detected in thirty US states and four Canadian provinces. In Virginia, a total of 178 deer from thirteen counties have tested positive since 2009. This incurable disease, found in deer, elk, and moose in North America, is a slow and progressive neurologic disease that ultimately results in death of the animal. The disease-causing agent is spread through the urine, feces, and saliva of infected animals.

Noticeable symptoms, though they may not appear in animals for several months to over a year, include staggering, abnormal posture, lowered head, drooling, confusion, and marked weight loss. There is no evidence that CWD can be transmitted naturally to humans, pets, or livestock, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advise hunters to test all deer harvested from known CWD-positive areas and to not consume any animals that test positive for the disease.

Additional surveillance data, descriptions of regulations pertaining to CWD, maps of DMAs, and more information about CWD can be found on the DWR website at: dwr.virginia.gov/wildlife/disease/cwd.