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LDWF confirms CWD detection in Ouachita Parish; department enacted 180‑day emergency declaration
Summary
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries confirmed a hunter‑submitted deer tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD) and said the department issued a March 11 declaration of emergency that extends a CWD control area and remains effective for 180 days unless rescinded.
Jonathan Bordelon, DEER program manager for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, told the task force that a hunter voluntarily submitted a deer from Deer Area 2 that tested positive for chronic wasting disease in January 2026 and that the result was confirmed by the National Veterinary Services Laboratory.
Bordelon said the department enacted a declaration of emergency on March 11 to establish and extend a CWD control area composed of an enhanced mitigation zone and a buffer zone; the emergency rule, he said, has a 180‑day effective life (through Sept. 7) unless rescinded or replaced by a permanent rule. He also said LDWF published maps and an interactive Outdoor Explorer tool on the department website so the public can view affected areas and restrictions.
Bordelon explained what the emergency does operationally: it enforces prohibitions and restrictions tied to the control area (including baiting and feeding limits in certain zones) and creates the authority to act quickly while the department and commission pursue longer‑term rulemaking. He noted that the existing rule structure remains in place and that the new declaration extended control areas into additional parishes (e.g., Ouachita, and nearby parishes) but does not automatically cover entire parishes—only designated portions.
When asked about the state’s current apparent prevalence, Bordelon said that outside of Tensas Parish most new detections are single positives and ‘‘at this time...less than 1 percent’’ apparent prevalence in those parishes; Tensas Parish’s recent intensified surveillance shows apparent prevalence roughly between 2 and 4 percent. He reiterated that surveillance goals are set using a risk‑based statistical model and that the 300‑sample number referenced in SCR 24 is a minimum benchmark.
Bordelon closed by noting the department can rescind the emergency at any time and that permanent rules or other plans should be in place by the end of the emergency period if needed. The commission accepted the LDWF presentation and fielded questions from members and stakeholders.
