Game, Fish and Parks confirms Chronic Wasting Disease in Bennett County

Chronic Wasting Disease is confirmed in samples collected from a deer south of Martin.

Chronic wasting disease is a fatal brain disease found largely in deer and elk. This is the first case in Bennett County. 

Chad Switzer is a Wildlife Program Administrator with South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks. He says the GFP is currently working on monitoring the disease across the entire state.

"We have identified some high-priority surveillance areas where we are soliciting the cooperation of hunters in providing samples from hunting units that are adjacent to, or near our known endemic areas where CWD has been confirmed, or near our adjacent states such as Nebraska or North Dakota," says Switzer. "So, we’re trying to get a better gauge on that.”

According to the CDC, Chronic Wasting Disease is transmittable to humans and can be fatal.

Hunters who have suspicions about the animals they’re harvesting are encouraged to contact South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks.