By Tom Latek
Kentucky Today
Kentucky’s archery deer season opens on Saturday and the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) urges hunters to review regulations and stay informed about deer health, including the latest disease monitoring update.
Hunters, they note, should particularly be aware of the latest information regarding Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) and Hemorrhagic Disease (HD) in Kentucky.
In October 2024, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) confirmed its first case of CWD in a captive deer at a Breckinridge County farm, marking the state’s second overall detection of the disease. This month KDA confirmed eight new CWD positive deer at the same facility.
After the initial detection, Breckinridge, Hardin and Meade counties were added to the CWD Surveillance Zone. There are no changes to regulations in the zone due to the additional detections. The department continues active CWD monitoring in these areas.
CWD is caused by abnormal prions and affects white-tailed deer, elk and other cervids. It is always fatal, with no known cure or vaccine. There is not an approved CWD test for live animals.
Testing by Kentucky Fish and Wildlife has found no new detections of CWD in wild deer in the state since the initial Ballard County case in 2023.
The CWD Surveillance Zone includes Ballard, Breckinridge, Calloway, Carlisle, Fulton, Graves, Hardin, Henderson, Hickman, Marshall, McCracken, Meade, Union and Webster counties.
The department is also monitoring HD, which appears annually in Kentucky. It is caused by a virus spread by biting midges and is not transmissible between deer. It poses no risk to humans or pets.
Cases confirmed through lab testing this year have been reported in Lyon, Scott, Warren and Wayne counties. Infected deer often develop a fever and seek out water, which is why they’re frequently found dead near streams or ponds. While some deer recover and develop immunity, the disease can also cause sudden, localized die-offs.
To report sick or dead deer, contact the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Information Center at 800-858-1549 or info.center@ky.gov weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding holidays, or use the Report Sick or Dead Wildlife webpage on the department’s website.
Extensive information is available in the 2025-2026 Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide, available online and at vendor locations, or on the Deer Hunting webpage available on the KDFWR website.