Idaho Fish and Game tested more than 3,000 animals for CWD in 2022. Although it is here, CWD has been caught early and remains confined to the same area near Riggins.
The 15 deer diagnosed with CWD were found in the Slate Creek drainage in between Riggins and Whitebird, the same place CWD was first detected in 2021.
"We are unfortunate to have it in the state, but in a little glimmer of hope we were fortunate to find it early in a fairly confined area," said Roger Phillips of the Idaho Fish and Game Department. "That is going to give us the opportunity to manage it and try to prevent or slow the spread as much as we can."
Chronic Wasting Disease is a fatal neurological disease that can be found in deer, elk and moose populations. There is no cure and, if it's not managed, it could effect the long-term future of the herds we have here in Idaho. There have been no reported cases of CWD infection in people.
"Chronic Wasting Disease is kind of the deer and elk equivalent of mad cow disease," said Phillips. "It is aprion based disease, which is complex, but basically it is something that lives a very long time in the environment and you can’t get rid of it."
The Idaho Fish and Game Department relies on hunters as the primary means of testing for CWD. They will also test dead animals they discover.
Hunting will be part of the solution. The department will also work with land owners to lower the population density in the effected region near Riggins in hunting zones 14 and 15.
Idaho Fish and Game are currently developing detailed plans and will begin implementing their strategy of thinning the herd this winter.
"We certainly don’t enjoy what we are doing here," said Phillips. "This is going to be tough for some people to understand, but this is really for the long-term health of Idaho’s deer and elk herds."
Idaho became one of the first states to detect CWD early on and now the goal becomes keeping the prevalence rate below two percent. Biologists estimate mule deer at 1.2 percent and whitetail deer at 3.3 percent, but they also believe that the combined total could be as high as ten percent in the affected region.
"We are probably not going to be able to completely stop it from spreading because these are very mobile wild animals, but at the same time we can keep that prevalence rate low and keep as few animals infected as possible," said Phillips.
Read More on Idaho's past with CWD:
