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Wildlife officials urge more hunter sampling and backing for harvest reporting as CWD spreads
Summary
Agency scientists said chronic wasting disease (CWD) remains a growing concern in parts of Mississippi and urged greater hunter participation in sampling and consideration of mandatory harvest reporting to improve population management.
Russ Walsh, representing the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, briefed the Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Committee on the state’s Chronic Wasting Disease monitoring and urged stronger hunter engagement and better harvest data to manage the disease.
Walsh said CWD has been detected in 18 Mississippi counties since February 2018 and that the core outbreak area in north Mississippi (Benton and Marshall counties) appears to expand roughly 3.5 miles per year. The agency reported 447 CWD‑positive tests detected since 2018 and said its primary mitigation strategy is to reduce deer density through hunter participation and targeted tags.
Why it matters: committee members expressed concern that the state lacks mandatory harvest reporting, which limits the department’s ability to produce precise statewide population…
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