Ohio hunters face new deer testing rules
Officials mandate CWD checks in nine counties as hemorrhagic disease spreads north.
By Rebecca Svoboda ·
Ohio hunters must submit their deer for testing in nine counties starting this month. The new requirement targets Chronic Wasting Disease, a condition wildlife officials say has not failed to spread once detected in any region of the United States.
Clint McCoy, the deer program administrator at the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, outlined the two distinct threats facing the state's herd. He identified hemorrhagic disease as the immediate danger. This viral infection spreads via a tiny midge. Last year, the virus devastated populations in southern Ohio. This season, it reached Lorain and Portage counties in the north.
The long-term outlook for hemorrhagic disease is less severe. McCoy explained that surviving deer build antibodies. This immunity protects them from future infections. He linked the spread of the midge to climate change, noting that warmer weather favors the insect's population growth.
Chronic Wasting Disease presents a different challenge. It is caused by a prion, a malformed protein fragment that settles in the brain. The disease is fatal. It can take up to 18 months to kill an infected deer. During that time, the animal continues to move through the herd, spreading the prion to others.
The prion does not stay on the animal. McCoy stated that the protein can remain in soil for years. This persistence makes the disease impossible to eliminate once it takes hold. Infected deer also contaminate water and plants, creating additional transmission routes for healthy animals.
The testing mandate covers all of Allen, Hardin, Marion, and Wyandot counties. It also includes portions of Crawford, Morrow, Delaware, Union, and Hancock counties. Hunters are advised not to eat deer that test positive. While the prion has not been confirmed to infect humans, officials recommend caution.
Approximately 220,000 deer are harvested in Ohio each year. Citizens can aid surveillance by reporting dead or sick deer to local officials. These reports help track the geographic spread of both diseases across the state.
