POSEY CO.– The Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has confirmed a second case of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in Indiana. The affected animal was a 2.5-year-old male white-tailed deer harvested in Posey County. This marks the second detection of the disease in the state.
CWD, a fatal neurological disease affecting deer, has now been found in wild deer populations in 36 states, including all of Indiana’s bordering states. In response to this latest finding, the DNR will increase surveillance in Posey County and surrounding areas during the 2025-2026 deer hunting season.
This enhanced monitoring will help biologists determine the disease’s prevalence and develop a targeted management strategy. CWD testing will be voluntary for hunters in the affected region.
“The public can play a vital role in our monitoring efforts,” said Joe Caudell, Indiana DNR deer biologist. “Reporting sightings of sick or dead deer and voluntarily submitting harvested deer for testing during hunting season will greatly assist us. Increased awareness and testing are essential to track CWD within Indiana’s deer population effectively.”
While there are no known cases of CWD infection in humans, the DNR recommends hunters have their deer tested and advises against consuming meat from deer that test positive for the disease.
CWD is caused by misfolded prions that damage the animal’s nervous system. The disease can spread through deer-to-deer contact or contaminated environments, as prions persist in the soil for many years. Late-stage CWD symptoms include significant weight loss and abnormal behavior. The DNR urges anyone who observes sick or dead wildlife to report it online.
Indiana’s deer hunting seasons run from mid-September to the end of January. Hunters can submit deer heads for free CWD testing at designated drop-off locations, including select Fish & Wildlife Areas, State Fish Hatcheries, and National Wildlife Refuges. An interactive map of sampling locations is available online. Hunters may also submit samples directly to the Indiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (ADDL) at Purdue University for a fee.
More information about CWD and testing procedures can be found on the DNR website.
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