Hunters in the Hoosier State knew it was coming. CWD has been creeping closer and closer with states all around it being impacted. But now, officials say the first case of CWD has been found in Indiana.
According to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources website, in April 2024, chronic wasting disease (CWD) was detected in an Indiana deer for the first time. The deer was a hunter-harvested white-tailed deer taken during deer season in LaGrange County.
Officials say there are currently no management actions that have been shown to cure deer of CWD, prevent deer from getting CWD, stop or significantly slow the spread of CWD, or eradicate CWD from the deer herd.
This is especially true of areas like LaGrange County, where the state expected to find the disease, based on CWD-positive cases across the border in Michigan.
What does this new revelation mean for Indiana hunters?
At this point, the changes on how the state will do business going forward will be slim to none. In fact, Indiana DNR’s response plan focuses on monitoring the spread of CWD, informing hunters and enabling Hoosiers to live with the presence of this disease in deer.
The state will continue to make CWD testing available at participating Fish & Wildlife areas (FWAs), State Fish Hatcheries (SFHs), and National Wildlife Refuges during the deer hunting season.
DNR will also monitor the spread of CWD through regular surveillance and response to reports of sick deer from the public.
The agency reminds hunters that no evidence suggests that CWD can infect humans.
