JACKSON, Miss. ( WJTV ) – Officials with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks (MDWFP) have set the chronic wasting disease (CWD) management zone boundaries for 2024-25.

The Clarion Ledger reported there were 110 positive CWD cases during the 2023-24 sampling season.

CWD is a 100% fatal, transmissible, neurogenerative disease. One challenge of detecting the disease is that until deer enter the last stages of CWD, they often appear completely healthy. MDWFP officials said the disease is transmitted through deer by their saliva, feces, urine, or contaminated environment.

MDWFP said the following zones will be implemented in 2024-25:

North CWD Management Zone

• Alcorn County
• Benton County
• Desoto County
• Lafayette County
• Marshall County
• Panola County
• Prentiss County
• Tate County
• Tippah County
• Tishomingo County
• Union County

Issaquena CWD Management Zone

• Claiborne County
• Sharkey County, east of the Mississippi River and south of MS 14
• Warren County

Harrison CWD Management Zone

• All portions of Harrison County west of US 49
• All portions of Hancock County east of MS 53, MS 603 and MS 43
• All portions of Hancock County east of Nicholson Avenue

Hunter participation in efforts to control CWD includes submitting harvested deer for testing, harvesting younger bucks, and discontinuing the use of supplemental feeding and baiting to help keep deer from congregating.

MDWFP allows more deer to be harvested in CWD zones and forbids supplemental feeding in these areas.

During deer season, hunters are asked to leave the heads of harvested deer at one of the state’s 63 drop-off sites .

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