The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources has announced the expansion of the Chronic Wasting Disease Containment Area after the detection of CWD in a Grant County deer.
“Grant County has been part of the CWD containment area since 2015 because of its proximity to affected counties,” said Paul Johansen, chief of the WVDNR’s Wildlife Resources Section. “While there is no evidence that CWD is harmful to humans, it is important that hunters abide by the carcass transport regulations to reduce risk factors that may affect our deer population.”
Grant County is the first new county where CWD has been detected in wild deer in the state since 2023, when cases were identified in Jefferson County. Previously, CWD cases were detected in Berkeley, Mineral, Morgan, Hardy and Hampshire counties.
To reduce the risk of further disease spread, the WVDNR has implemented restrictions on baiting and feeding deer and on transporting high-risk carcass parts out of the CWD containment area. Transport restrictions for Grant County will take effect during the 2025 deer hunting season.
Additionally, as a proactive measure, baiting restrictions will be implemented in Pendleton County during the 2025 deer hunting season. Feeding restrictions are currently in effect. While CWD has not been detected in Pendleton County, its close proximity to known cases of the disease makes risk mitigation efforts critical.
The WVDNR continues to offer free CWD testing to hunters who harvest deer in the CWD containment area during all deer seasons.
For questions about CWD, regulations and testing contact the WVDNR District 2 office at 304-822-3551.