Missouri Pauses Targeted Deer Removal as Chronic Wasting Disease threat Persists
The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is shifting it’s strategy in the fight against chronic wasting disease (CWD), pausing targeted post-season deer removals to collaborate with hunters and landowners on a more sustainable long-term approach.This decision comes as the state grapples with the ongoing spread of the fatal neurological disease that threatens the health of its iconic white-tailed deer population.
The concern over CWD is deeply personal for Jason Sumners, Director of the MDC, whose lifelong passion for deer conservation began in rural Missouri. “As a young boy… I became fascinated with the graceful ghost of our forest, the white-tailed deer,” Sumners shared, highlighting a connection that fueled his decades-long career. That dream, though, “turned to dread” in February 2010 with the first detection of CWD in Missouri.
First identified in eastern Colorado and Wyoming in the 1960s, CWD had steadily spread eastward, reaching Wisconsin and Illinois eight years before its arrival in Missouri. Research consistently demonstrates that, if left unmanaged, CWD prevalence and distribution will increase, leading to higher deer mortality rates and impacting population recovery after events like droughts or other disease outbreaks.
Since 2010, the MDC has implemented aggressive measures to contain the disease, including stricter regulations on importing captive deer and controlling carcass movement. These efforts were informed by the success of similar strategies in Illinois.The department also liberalized local harvest opportunities, prohibited the use of feed and minerals that unnaturally concentrate deer, and initiated localized targeted removals. According to the MDC, these actions have successfully slowed the spread of CWD within the state.
Though, the disease continues to emerge in new areas and re-establish itself in previously affected zones. Some have dismissed CWD as a politically motivated concern with minimal impact on deer populations, but scientific studies consistently refute this claim. “Scientific studies have continued to demonstrate that CWD is a fatal disease,” sumners emphasized, warning of its potential to considerably alter buck age structure and hinder population resilience.
The MDC recognizes the need for a collaborative approach. “This extensive undertaking can only be accomplished by working collaboratively with hunters and landowners,” a senior official stated. Last year, the department piloted the Hunter Harvest Initiative, encouraging increased deer harvest during the regular season to reduce the need for post-season removals.
Now,the MDC is pausing those targeted removals to focus on developing a more sustainable path forward with hunters and landowners. This includes adapting existing management tools, creating CWD management permits, and simplifying regulations. The department is actively seeking feedback from the public, with a dedicated email address – [email protected] – established for input.
The future of Missouri’s deer herd, a symbol of prosperous wildlife conservation and a vital part of the sta
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Why is this happening? The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is pausing its targeted deer removal program due to the persistent threat of chronic wasting disease (CWD). The shift aims to move toward a more sustainable, long-term strategy that relies on collaboration with hunters and landowners. The MDC recognizes that previous methods, while slowing the spread, haven’t eradicated the disease and require broader participation for success.
Who is involved? Key players include the Missouri Department
