COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife has confirmed that 24 white-tailed deer harvested during the 2024-25 hunting season tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). The tests were conducted on a total of 5,783 deer. Of the confirmed cases, 23 deer were harvested in Allen, Hardin, Marion, and Wyandot counties. For the first time, a deer harvested in Morrow County also tested positive for the disease.
CWD is a neurological disease that is fatal to white-tailed deer and other related species, such as mule deer, elk, and moose. There is currently no cure for CWD once an animal is infected. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states there is no strong evidence to suggest CWD can be transmitted to humans.
For more detailed information on CWD, Ohio hunters and residents can visit the ODNR website at ohiodnr.gov/cwd. The ODNR has also launched a new CWD dashboard, which provides up-to-date location and harvest data for all CWD-positive deer identified since 2020. This interactive tool allows hunters to track the status of deer they have submitted for testing.
Since CWD was first detected in the wild in Ohio in 2020, the Division of Wildlife has rigorously monitored and tested deer in the affected areas. The division has conducted regular surveillance for the disease since 2002, testing over 40,000 deer in total. CWD was initially discovered in the 1960s in the western United States.
The Division of Wildlife remains committed to conserving and enhancing Ohio’s fish and wildlife resources. For more information about Ohio’s wildlife and efforts to manage the state’s natural resources, visit wildohio.gov.
The ODNR is dedicated to balancing the responsible use and protection of Ohio’s natural resources, ensuring their sustainability for future generations. For more information on ODNR’s work, visit ohiodnr.gov.
