A fatal neurological disease among deer was detected in a 1-year-old buck in Medina County.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department said the buck tested positive during live animal testing at a deer-breeding facility. A postmortem test confirmed it had CWD.
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This marks the fifth CWD detection at a Medina County breeding facility since 2015.
A surveillance zone spanning a 2-mile radius will be placed around the facility. Deer harvested within that zone must be presented at a check-in station in Hondo within 48 hours, a news release states.
“CWD has an incubation period that can span years, so the first indication of the disease in a herd is often found through surveillance testing rather than observed clinical signs,” the release states. “Early detection and proactive monitoring improve the state’s response time to the detection of CWD and can greatly reduce the risk of further disease spread.”
CWD is fatal for certain cervids, like deer, elk, moose and others in the deer family.
Its incubation period can last for years, meaning animals who have the disease may go a while without showing symptoms.
As the disease progresses, it causes weight loss, stumbling, tremors, excessive thirst, salivation or urination, loss of appetite, teeth grinding, abnormal head posture and/or drooping ears. It never goes dormant and can remain on land for several years.
TPWD is urging hunters to take precautions when harvesting deer this fall season.
Around Texas, there are several CWD zones and check-in stations where hunters are required to present their deer.
Click here to view a map of those CWD zones and check-in stations.
There are no known cases of a human becoming infected with the disease, but hunters should test their harvested species for the disease before consuming them, TPWD states.
The general season for white-tail deer starts on Nov. 4, and the general season for mule deer starts in mid-late November, depending on where you live.
Click here to see hunting seasons by animal.
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