The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) has reported the first confirmed case of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in Wayne County, identified in a deer that was killed on the road. This area falls within the designated CWD Management Zone, where certain restrictions regarding wildlife feeding and the transportation of deer carcasses are already in place.
Despite this new development, the regulations and dates for deer hunting season will remain unchanged. Hunters participating in the Earn-a-Buck Program can still earn additional permits for bucks by harvesting antlerless deer and submitting them for testing. Those who have already submitted antlerless deer this season will be credited accordingly. For further details, hunters can visit CWDinTN.org.
In Wayne County, several key restrictions are now in effect. While deer carcasses can be moved within and between counties that are part of the CWD Management Zone, whole or field-dressed carcasses, as well as unapproved parts, are prohibited from leaving the zone. However, certain approved parts, including deboned meat, cleaned antlers or skulls, cleaned teeth, taxidermy products, and hides, may be transported throughout the state.
Additionally, the feeding of deer using grain, salt, minerals, or similar substances is banned, with exceptions made for specific circumstances such as excluding deer near residences, managing wild hog populations, or conducting regular agricultural and forestry practices.
For hunters in Wayne County, CWD testing services are available through various participating taxidermists, meat processors, and designated drop-off freezers. One such drop-off location is at Beech Creek Fire Hall, situated at 5775 Beech Creek Road in Waynesboro.
Chronic wasting disease is a progressive and fatal condition that impacts the nervous systems of cervids, which include species such as deer, elk, and moose. This season, the TWRA has submitted around 8,400 samples to certified laboratories for testing.
For more information on regulations and freezer locations, interested parties can visit CWDinTN.org.
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