Zombie deer disease complicates hunting season in Kansas

TOPEKA (KSNT) - Wildlife officials are raising awareness of a zombie-like deer disease ahead of the upcoming 2024-2025 Kansas deer hunting season along with a few other need-to-knows.

27 News reached out to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) to get the latest information on where things stand ahead of the next deer season. Wildlife Disease Program Coordinator Shane Hesting and Big Game Program Coordinator Levi Jaster are sharing what hunters need to be aware of heading into the season, especially where chronic wasting disease (CWD), also known as zombie deer disease, stands.

Debunking a CWD myth

27 News asked Hesting whether hunters should be worried about coming into contact with CWD through deer they kill this year. Some hunters have raised concerns recently of contracting CWD through deer carrying the disease which is widespread in parts of Kansas.

Hesting said there is currently no evidence of people contracting CWD through deer, something which can be backed up by a recent National Institutes of Health (NIH) study that concluded the disease is unlikely to make the jump to humans. However, this doesn't mean the danger is completely absent.

"The risk is not zero though," Hesting said. "Wildlife and parks does not recommend eating sick deer."

Hunters thinking they can cook deer meat enough to get rid of CWD should also abandon this strategy. Hesting said CWD is caused by prions or "proteins gone bad" which require extremely high temperatures, approaching 1,000 degrees, to destroy.

Where is CWD in Kansas?

Health officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show CWD is present in 49 counties in Kansas, the majority being in the western half of the state. The most recently published map, dated July 2024, from the CDC can be found below. Counties marked red are areas where positive cases of CWD have been confirmed.

The CDC map has not changed from its report earlier this year, showing CWD is not being reported in other parts of Kansas yet. CWD, once reported in an area, remains in the local soil and water for years, making it difficult to remove.

Hesting said KDWP staff conducted surveillance of the disease in the southwest zone of Kansas last year but are moving their attention to the northwest zone in 2024. This is the heaviest-hit part of the state in terms of CWD with nearly half of all surveyed deer found to be carrying the disease.

CWD testing and management

Hesting encourages hunters to take advantage of free testing for CWD being offered this year. He said the current KDWP budget allows for about 1,200 free tests of deer throughout the state, except for the northwest zone where 300 tests are already marked down for use. Hunters can find information on testing in the KDWP hunting summary or on the KDWP's website.

"On the bright side, we still have a healthy deer herd for the most part," Hesting said. "That's what the prevalence is in two-and-a-half-year-old and older bucks. The northwest zone is about a flip of a coin now. But we have a lot of healthy deer out there. We have a lot of healthy nice big bucks to hunt."

Hesting said hunters should not shy away from taking down yearling bucks or does to help control the disease's spread. Yearling bucks can take the disease with them to new parts of Kansas while doe groups carrying the disease will help keep CWD situated in a specific area.

"That's one way it can help control the spread," Hesting said. "If hunters could target those and take out some of those doe groups... once its in a doe group, it pretty much stays in that area."

Hunters should also be on the lookout for Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) which is being monitored by KDWP staff. The disease is transported by biting midges and can cause deer to experience dehydration, fever and death. Hesting said there are some recent observations of an uptick in EHD activity in Kansas.

"I think the wet weather is keeping it [EHD] at bay this year," Hesting said. "Keep an eye out for sick deer and report them to wildlife and parks."

Deer season outlook

Jaster said the upcoming season is shaping up to be "a fairly typical season" for the state's deer hunters. In general, conditions haven't changed much from last year regarding regulations and herd sizes with deer numbers being lower in the west and higher in the east.

"Anywhere in Kansas holds a chance for a mature quality deer," Jaster said. "Our numbers are highest in the southeast and northeast. We decline as we move west across the state. The best chance of seeing deer are likely in eastern Kansas this year."

Hunters are also reminded to follow the new hunting regulation on trail cameras which were banned on KDWP lands last year following public outcry. Frequent thefts and misuse were cited last year as being leading factors behind the ban.

"They [trail cameras] were causing a lot of disturbance," Jaster said. "A lot of people were using those not to monitor game anymore and were monitoring other hunters."

Hesting said KDWP commissioners will also be discussing a carcass movement regulation during the Aug. 29 meeting in Hays. This will include talks of strategies being used by other states to help reduce the spread of diseases like CWD to other parts of Kansas.

For nonresident hunters that only qualify for the draw, that draw is done. Usually completed. Any deer rifle tags, that draw is done in June so that is completed. Most of our tags for our resident hunters are over-the-counter eligibility.

More information on deer permits and tags can be found online by clicking here. KDWP deer regulations can be found by clicking here.

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