FWC and FDACS Hold Additional CWD Public Meetings Ahead of Hunting Season

Following confirmation of a positive test for chronic wasting disease in a white-tailed deer in Holmes County, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) conducted two public meetings in Bonifay and Marianna this fall. The meetings provided information about new hunting regulations for the area, sampling and testing procedures, chronic wasting disease, and an opportunity for area residents to ask questions about CWD and CWD management strategies.

More than 200 members of the public – including hunters, farmers, private landowners, taxidermists, meat processors, wildlife rehabilitators and other interested parties – attended the meetings.

“The continued interest and support we’re seeing from local communities is very encouraging,” said FWC Director of Hunting and Game Management George Warthen. “Archery season on private lands begins Saturday, Oct. 21 in Zone D, and we are relying on hunters in the area to submit samples for testing to slow the spread of CWD. It’s going to take all of us working together to be successful.”

The FWC and its agency partners take CWD very seriously and have implemented a comprehensive response plan. As part of the plan, the FWC will collect samples from specific established zones to further assess any spread of the disease. The results from this increased sampling effort will inform resource managers so they can respond with appropriate management strategies.

On Sept. 8, the FWC issued a new executive order outlining regulations designed to increase sampling and slow the spread of CWD in Florida deer. Existing regulations pertaining to establishing the zone, baiting and feeding restrictions, the prohibition of rehabilitating or releasing injured or orphaned deer, and the export of high-risk parts remain in effect. New actions include:

• All deer harvested from December 9–10, 2023, in Holmes, Jackson, and Washington counties shall be checked at a staffed FWC check station prior to transporting the deer to the possessor’s domicile or a processor or taxidermist, except deer harvested on licensed game farms or hunting preserves.
• Take of antlerless deer shall be allowed throughout Deer Management Unit D2 during the entirety of the open season for antlered deer established in Rule 68A-13.004, Florida Administrative Code, for DMU D2.
• Additionally, the take of antlerless deer shall be allowed from December 9–10, 2023, in those portions of Holmes, Jackson, and Washington counties within DMU D1. These regulations don’t apply to Commission-managed lands, which have their own regulations.

The FWC has increased CWD monitoring and surveillance in the area, and FDACS is prioritizing CWD testing from all samples collected from the tri-county area.

The FWC is asking anyone who sees a sick, abnormally thin deer or finds a deer dead from unknown causes to call the CWD hotline, 866-CWD-WATCH (866-293-9282), and report the animal’s location.

To receive updates about Florida’s CWD response, visit the subscription page at MyFWC.com, “About Us,” and “Sign up for News Releases” to sign up for a free information subscription service and choose “Chronic Wasting Disease Updates (CWD).”

Links to recordings of the meetings can be found at The Florida Channel.

For more information, visit MyFWC.com/CWD.