The Iowa Department of Natural has completed testing on the last batch of samples from deer taken in a special hunt in Allamakee County.
The special hunt came after positive tests for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) were found in the northeast Iowa county during last season’s regular hunt. Wildlife research supervisor, Willie Suchy says nothing turned up in the final set of samples.
“Everything other than the three new ones in Allamakee County came back negative,” Suchy says. A special hunt was held to get more samples to try and determine if the disease had spread. Residents have also been looking for any signs of sick deer. “We encouraged people to report those, and we have responded to a number of them and collected samples. And so far everything has been negative,” Suchy says. “Part of it is that deer do get sick and injured and sometimes it’s hard to tell, but anytime anyone sees a deer acting strangely, or acting badly, then contact an officer or biologist.”
Suchy says the lack of any new cases of CWD is a good sign. “It doesn’t show or prove that there isn’t any more out there — in fact it’s likely there are some more positive animals,” according to Suchy. “We’ll continue the surveillance to see the extent and prevalence in the area. We’ll be working in northeast Iowa to continue to monitor that and working with our hunters, and we really appreciate all the help that they provide.”
The DNR is expanding its surveillance to a 140 square mile area in eastern Allamakee and northeast Clayton County to concentrate on the area where the positive CWD tests were found.