The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission (LWFC) approved a Declaration of Emergency (DE) and Notice of Intent (NOI) to expand the Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Control Area in northeast central Louisiana beginning May 1. The action came during the commission’s April 3 meeting in response to a confirmed positive case of CWD identified in a wild hunter harvested deer Catahoula Parish.
Consistent with LDWF’s CWD protocols, the DE expands the previously established CWD Control Area to include an area comprised of a 25-mile radius from the Catahoula index case. The new control area includes portions of Caldwell, Richland, La Salle and Catahoula parishes. All of Tensas Parish and portions of East Carroll, Madison, Franklin and Concordia parishes were included in the original control area. In addition, the control area will be expanded in Franklin and Concordia parishes.
The DE prohibits the baiting and supplemental feeding of deer. Transport of deer carcasses outside of the control area also is prohibited except for the specific parts listed, or by permit for purposes of taxidermy. The control area boundary is established using identifiable landmarks, such as roads, waterways or parish lines that are as close to the 25-mile radius line from the Catahoula CWD detection.
The DE is a temporary action that will become effective May 1 and remain in effect for a period of 180 days or until the NOI becomes final and replaces the DE.
The NOI approved by the LWFC also expanded the CWD Control Area, but established a smaller mitigation area within the CWD control area for baiting and supplemental feeding. While the carcass exportation and enhanced surveillance components of the proposed rule extend to the entire control area, the NOI proposes a smaller area of approximately 15-mile radius from any CWD positive case where supplemental feeding or baiting is prohibited.
Supplemental feeding and baiting outside of the 15-mile boundary outward to the control area boundary would be allowed through mechanical broadcast from non-stationary implements. The NOI will be published for public comment and may be amended before final adoption. After final adoption, the NOI rule would replace the current DE that is in effect.
Hunters are reminded that the NOI is a proposed rule and would not go into effect until final passage by the LWFC, which could be August 2025 at the earliest.
There is no statewide feeding ban included in either the DE or the NOI.
To see the DE and NOI, go to https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/resources/category/commission-action-items.
The expansion was necessitated because of a CWD confirmed positive wild deer on private land in Catahoula Parish in March. The discovery was made in a hunter-harvested white-tailed buck. This is the first CWD confirmed positive in a wild deer outside of Tensas Parish. CWD was first detected in Louisiana in 2022. The latest positive brings the total number of CWD detections for Louisiana to 40.
CWD is a neurodegenerative disease of white-tailed deer and other members of the family Cervidae. It is caused by a prion, an infectious, misfolded protein particle, and is 100-percent fatal. There is no treatment or preventative vaccine for CWD. CWD-infected deer may exhibit signs of weight loss and emaciation, salivation, frequent drinking and urination, incoordination, circling, lack of fear of people, and always results in the death of the animal.
Although CWD has not been shown to be contagious to humans, the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization recommend against the human consumption of deer known to be infected with CWD. Also, it is recommended that people hunting in areas known to harbor CWD-infected deer have their deer tested for the disease prior to consuming the animals. LDWF will provide testing for hunter-harvested deer free of charge.
For more information on CWD, go to https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/cwd.
Public comment on the NOI may be submitted until July 3. Comments may be submitted to LDWF Deer Program Manager Johnathan Bordelon by email at jbordelon@wlf.la.gov, by phone at 318-487-5334 or by mail to LDWF, 1995 Shreveport Highway, Pineville, LA. 71360.