Louisiana Expands CWD Control Area Following New Detection in Catahoula Parish

The Louisiana Legislature convened on September 4, 2025, to address the ongoing concerns surrounding Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in deer populations. The meeting focused on the history, current status, and management strategies related to CWD, which was first identified in a captive herd in Colorado in 1967 and has since spread to 36 states and four Canadian provinces.

The discussion began with an overview of the disease's spread, noting that all neighboring states had detected CWD prior to Louisiana, with Arkansas reporting its first case in February 2015 and Mississippi in February 2018. A detailed map was presented, illustrating areas where CWD has been detected in the wild, as well as locations of captive deer pens affected by the disease.

Louisiana has been proactive in its surveillance efforts since February 2002, sampling over 21,000 deer across all 64 parishes, primarily from hunter-harvested animals. This approach allows for efficient monitoring without the need for agency-led culling. The first CWD control area was established in February 2018 in response to a positive detection in Mississippi, although no cases were found in Louisiana at that time.

In 2021, a similar situation arose when a positive case was identified in Arkansas, prompting further sampling in Louisiana's Morehouse and Union parishes, which also yielded no detections. However, in 2022, Louisiana confirmed its first case of CWD in Tinsall Parish, where 39 additional positive cases have since been identified.

The meeting also highlighted the state's management plan, which was first adopted in February 2016. This plan outlines recommended actions to slow the spread of CWD and improve understanding of its prevalence. Notably, a recent amendment to the Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) allows landowners within five miles of a CWD detection to enroll at no cost, reducing the minimum acreage requirement and providing additional hunting flexibility.

The most recent detection of CWD in Catahoula Parish has led to an expansion of the existing control area to include additional parishes, including Caldwell, LaSalle, Richland, and parts of Ouachita. This expansion reflects the state's commitment to monitoring and managing the disease effectively.

In conclusion, the meeting underscored the importance of continued surveillance and proactive management strategies in addressing the challenges posed by CWD in Louisiana's deer population. The state remains vigilant in its efforts to mitigate the impact of this disease on wildlife and hunting communities.