Management Hunt Sheds Light on CWD Presence in SW Montana

More than 300 samples were collected for chronic wasting disease testing during a recent CWD management hunt for white-tailed deer in southwest Montana.

The hunt, which lasted from Dec. 15 through Feb. 15, was implemented to reduce densities of white-tailed deer in areas with relatively high CWD prevalence and other places nearby where CWD prevalence is expected to increase in the coming years.

CWD is a contagious neurological disease that infects deer, elk and moose. It is always fatal, and there is no known cure. It was first found among wild cervids in Montana in 2017 and was first de...