No cases of CWD found in Barry County
January 8, 2020
Charlea Estes-Jones
The numbers are in, and Barry County is still Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) free, according to the most recent data from the Missouri Department of Conservation. This year was the second year for mandatory CWD testing for hunters during the opening weekend of November firearms season.
CWD is a highly contagious neurological disease in deer. It causes brain deterioration that leads to abnormal behavior, emaciation, loss of bodily function and eventually death. Because of deer’s social habits, once it is in an area, it spreads rapidly given the right circumstances.
The disease is spread deer-to-deer from licking each other or socializing, making the risk of spread in local populations high. While there is no known risk to humans, the disease is devastating to the deer population.
Barry County is one of 29 counties that require mandatory testing due to CWD found in surrounding areas. The mandatory counties that require testing are: Adair, Barry, Cedar, Chariton, Christian, Crawford, Franklin, Gasconade, Hickory, Howell, Jefferson, Knox, Linn, Macon, Mercer, Oregon, Ozark, Perry, Polke, Putnam, St. Charles, St. Clair, St. Francois, Ste. Genevieve, Stone, Sullivan, Taney, Warren and Washington.
This year, MDC found cases in the following counties: Adair, two cases; Franklin, five cases; Linn, five cases; Macon, two cases; Perry, two cases; Ste. Genevieve, five cases; Stone, two cases and Taney, one case.
Barry County was required to provide samples for testing after CWD was found in Arkansas just across the border as well as Stone County in previous years.
To date, MDC has tested 130,000 deer since CWD was first found in the state in 2012. Of those, 24 new cases were found this year for a total of 140 since 2012. There were also three new CWD cases across the border in Arkansas.
While many counties are under a mandatory testing order, there are also voluntary testing sites available throughout the hunting season.
For more information about CWD and how it affects hunting and deer populations, go to mdc.mo.gov/cwd.
Charlea Estes-Jones
The numbers are in, and Barry County is still Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) free, according to the most recent data from the Missouri Department of Conservation. This year was the second year for mandatory CWD testing for hunters during the opening weekend of November firearms season.
CWD is a highly contagious neurological disease in deer. It causes brain deterioration that leads to abnormal behavior, emaciation, loss of bodily function and eventually death. Because of deer’s social habits, once it is in an area, it spreads rapidly given the right circumstances.
The disease is spread deer-to-deer from licking each other or socializing, making the risk of spread in local populations high. While there is no known risk to humans, the disease is devastating to the deer population.
Barry County is one of 29 counties that require mandatory testing due to CWD found in surrounding areas. The mandatory counties that require testing are: Adair, Barry, Cedar, Chariton, Christian, Crawford, Franklin, Gasconade, Hickory, Howell, Jefferson, Knox, Linn, Macon, Mercer, Oregon, Ozark, Perry, Polke, Putnam, St. Charles, St. Clair, St. Francois, Ste. Genevieve, Stone, Sullivan, Taney, Warren and Washington.
This year, MDC found cases in the following counties: Adair, two cases; Franklin, five cases; Linn, five cases; Macon, two cases; Perry, two cases; Ste. Genevieve, five cases; Stone, two cases and Taney, one case.
Barry County was required to provide samples for testing after CWD was found in Arkansas just across the border as well as Stone County in previous years.
To date, MDC has tested 130,000 deer since CWD was first found in the state in 2012. Of those, 24 new cases were found this year for a total of 140 since 2012. There were also three new CWD cases across the border in Arkansas.
While many counties are under a mandatory testing order, there are also voluntary testing sites available throughout the hunting season.
For more information about CWD and how it affects hunting and deer populations, go to mdc.mo.gov/cwd.
