MADISON, Wis. (WRN) — A Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources study finds that chronic wasting disease reduces deer survival and population growth in the state.
“Adult female that has CWD has annual survival rate of approximately 41%,” said Deer Research Specialist Daniel Storm. “Adult doe without CWD has an annual survival rate of 83%. With bucks, the infected bucks had a very low of 17% annual survival rate. Uninfected bucks had a survival rate of about 69%”
Storm said prevalence rates as high as 30 percent are confined to southwestern Wisconsin counties, but he cautioned that CWD will eventually lead to declines in deer populations if the disease continues to spread state wide.