11/05/2025
CWD is probably the most contentious topic among deer hunters. CWD skeptics generally fall within one or both categories:
Category 1: Does not believe CWD negatively impacts deer populations.
Category 2: Believes state agencies are not properly managing deer/regulations in CWD management zones.
Most hunters who identify with category 1 also identify with category 2, but some hunters in category 2 recognize CWD’s population-level impacts.
To those in category 1, here are some figures from a recent study in the Northwest Arkansas CWD management zone.
• 50% of deer tested positive for CWD (65% of bucks, 34% of does)
• Annual survival rate of CWD positive deer: 45%
• Annual survival rate of CWD negative (“not-detected”) deer: 67%
• Mortality directly attributable to CWD: 19% of all moralities (i.e., CWD was the only identifiable cause of death)
• Population level impact: 14% decline/year. See attached figure
• Deer density in the study area: 5 deer/sq mile
It is very difficult to live in category 1 and discount the mounting evidence for CWD’s detrimental population-level impacts across multiple studies, states, and deer species. The Arkansas study is one of several showing similar trends. Every study has limitations, but the data are very clear: CWD negatively impacts deer populations when prevalence exceeds ~30%.
The “right” management decisions for those who identify with category 2 only are more subjective. States that engage in targeted culling are attempting to keep deer density below the threshold where CWD prevalence grows rapidly in a small area. Many category 2 hunters don’t like this approach, but the alternative is to allow CWD to spread across the landscape and increase in prevalence. The result? Look at the graph again. Populations will suffer long-term. Yes, targeted culling removes deer that CWD might not affect right now, but by removing these deer, states are attempting to slow the spread of the disease, keep prevalence low, and preserve deer populations outside the target zone long-term. There’s still a lot to learn about CWD, but what we KNOW is that doing nothing is not a good option if you value a huntable, healthy deer population.
