© 2024 University of Missouri - KBIA
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Missouri Department of Conservation to Host Open House for CWD

The Missouri Department of Conservation is hosting open houses in October to receive feedback around future regulations to control chronic wasting disease, a fatal disease found in deer.

Possible regulations include a feeding ban in management zones and restricting movement of deer carcasses in high-risk areas. The feedback sessions are the beginning stages for approving regulations next fall.

The department is hosting the open houses in six Missouri cities that have positive cases of Chronic Wasting Disease. Topics covered include information on CWD and efforts to manage the disease. The meetings will be at:

  • 4 in Bolivar at Southwest Baptist University Davis Theater in the Goodson Student Union, South Pike Ave.
  • Oct 9 in Cape Girardeau at the MDC Cape Girardeau Nature Center, 2289 County Park Drive
  • Oct 16 in Kirksville at the MDC Northeast Regional Office, 3500 S. Baltimore
  • Oct 18 in Jefferson City at the MDC Runge Conservation Nature Center, 330 Commerce Drive
  • Oct 23 in Perryville at the Perry Park Center in the Theater, 800 City Park Drive
  • Oct 25 in Branson at the College of the Ozarks in the Silver Dollar City Parlor Meeting Room in the Keeter Center, 100 Opportunity Avenue, Point Lookout

MDC wildlife disease coordinator Jasmine Batten said the feedback session is the first stage of creating regulations. One possible regulation removes the exception for feed placed within 100 feet of a residence in a CWD management zone. She said the original exemption was intended allow wildlife watchers to interact with wildlife outside their homes.
“... But the unintended consequence is that people continue to feed deer within that hundred feet of residence and that is a disease risk for chronic wasting disease spread,” Batten said. “So we’re looking at basically removing that exemption so you would not be able to feed deer in the CWD management zone within that hundred feet.”

MDC central regional office media specialist Robert Hemmelgarn said the disease is 100 percent fatal for deer.

“It poses a threat to our outdoor heritage here in Missouri in that, left unchecked, it could really decimate deer populations in our state,” Hemmelgarn said

He said CWD is still a rare disease, but it’s important to slow the spread. The department found 33 cases of CWD last season. It brings the total cases to 75 since the department started monitoring the disease.