CASPER, Wyo. — Hunters beware. A new unit area in Wyoming’s elk hunting map has tested positive for chronic wasting disease, an incurable and fatal prion disease infecting ungulates like deer, elk and moose.
The newly-infected unit, 116, is range to the Black Hills elk herd, which also resides in units 117 and 1. CWD was discovered in those herd areas in 2008 and 2020, respectively. To the east, encompassing the hilly prairies around Gillette, Wyoming Game and Fish biologists discovered the disease in resident elk in 2020 as well.
So far, Game and Fish has, according to a release, only found the disease in one adult cow. The malady is highly contagious, however. That is why the department is asking hunters to assist in data collection by submitting a sample of their harvest for testing. More information on how to do that can be found here.
For more information on areas with elk that have tested positive previously for CWD, see this map.
