UT, TWRA Offer Public Workshops on Chronic Wasting Disease in Tennessee

Chronic Wasting Disease in Tennessee deer is now a reality, and experts with the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture and Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency will hold public workshops to answer questions about the disease and what deer hunters and others should know.

Nearly four-dozen interested hunters and landowners turned out for the first meeting in McNairy County on July 9. Many more are expected for the remaining five events, including one scheduled for Thursday, July 11, in Tipton County.

Each workshop will include discussions of the new hunting regulations for eight West Tennessee counties: Fayette, Hardeman and Madison, where the disease has been detected, as well as the surrounding counties of Chester, Haywood, McNairy, Shelby and Tipton. A question and answer session will follow.

“CWD is a fatal disease primarily affecting members of the cervid family that includes white-tailed deer, elk, mule deer, moose, and others,” says Dan Grove, wildlife veterinarian with UT Extension. “We are concerned about the impacts the disease will have on the deer herd in southwest Tennessee and the impacts on hunters and people living in the affected area. We want to offer an opportunity to learn more about the disease and the new hunting regulations, which may impact people living and hunting in affected counties. We also want to share what people can do to help TWRA with disease management.” 

The remaining workshops will take place in southwestern Tennessee counties through July and August, each at 7 p.m.

Chronic Wasting Disease in Tennessee Deer Public Workshops

• Tipton County – Thursday, July 11, Tipton County Farm Bureau Office
• Madison County – Tuesday, July 16, UT Extension Office
• Shelby County – Thursday, July 18, UT Extension Office
• Haywood County – Thursday, August 1, Haywood County Justice Complex
• Chester County – Tuesday, August 27, Henderson City Hall 

All questions should be directed to the TWRA Region 1 Office by calling 731-423-5725.

Dr. Grove has just released a UT Extension fact sheet describing the disease. The publication is available online at the UT Extension website: extension.tennessee.edu. Search the “publications” tab for Chronic Wasting Disease.