CASPER, Wyo. — The presence of chronic wasting disease has been confirmed in Elk Hunt Area 33 in the Sheridan Region, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department said on Monday.
A bull elk harvested in Area 33 in October tested positive for the disease. The hunt area is bordered by four areas where chronic wasting disease has previously been confirmed, Game and Fish said: Hunt Area 34, where the disease was detected in 2015; Hunt Area 48, where it was detected in 2017; Hunt Area 129, where it was confirmed in 2021; and Hunt Area 49, where it was confirmed earlier this year. All areas where chronic wasting disease has been confirmed in Wyoming can be seen in an online interactive map provided by Game and Fish.
Once deer, elk or moose are infected, chronic wasting disease is 100% fatal, Game and Fish said.
“To ensure hunters are informed Game and Fish announces when CWD is found in a new hunt area,” the department said. “The Centers for Disease Control recommends hunters do not consume any animal that is obviously ill or tests positive for CWD.”
Game and Fish tested 6,947 lymph node samples from deer and elk in 2021 to monitor for the disease. These samples were primarily submitted by hunters.
“Please visit the Game and Fish website for more information on chronic wasting disease testing, transmission and regulations on the transportation and disposal of carcasses,” the release added.
