Home Local News DNR ISSUES DEER DISEASE WARNING FOR SIOUX CITY AREA

DNR ISSUES DEER DISEASE WARNING FOR SIOUX CITY AREA

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The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has placed a deer surveillance priority on Woodbury County as the shotgun season approaches this weekend.

A tissue sample from a road killed deer collected on Sioux City’s south side is undergoing a follow up test for chronic wasting disease after its initial results showed a high likelihood that the disease was present.

If confirmed, Woodbury County would become the fifth Iowa county where a wild deer has tested positive for the always fatal disease.

The Iowa DNR has established a priority zone for tissue collection in Woodbury County 10 miles around where the positive sample was collected and is working to have a map available online on their website.

Hunters who harvest a deer in the area or outside the zone in western Woodbury County should contact the DNR at 712-420-5584 to arrange for sample collection.

Chronic wasting disease is a neurological disease that attacks the brain of infected deer causing the animal to lose weight, display abnormal behavior and die.

It is always fatal to the infected animal.

There is no evidence that CWD can be transmitted under natural conditions to cattle and no known cases of humans contracting CWD by eating venison.

The Center for Disease Control recommends, when hunting in areas with CWD, strongly consider having the deer tested before you eat the meat.

If your animal tests positive for CWD, do not eat that animal.