CWD Detection Rates Rising in Core Affected States
Chronic Wasting Disease continues its slow march across the whitetail deer range of the United States, with infection rates in the most heavily affected regions reaching alarming levels. In Wyoming, Colorado, and Wisconsin — three of the states dealing with the most established CWD zones — infection rates in some management areas have exceeded 40 percent of tested deer. Nationwide, over 400 CWD cases were detected during the 2025-26 season across multiple states, underscoring that the disease has moved well beyond the isolated pockets where it was first identified decades ago.
The disease, which affects the nervous system of cervids including deer, elk, and moose, has no known treatment and is universally fatal in infected animals. Transmission occurs through direct contact between animals and through environmental contamination — infected deer shed prions through saliva, urine, and feces, which can persist in soil for years.
Recent Expansion into the Southeast
North Carolina confirmed its first CWD case in 2022, marking the disease’s arrival on South Carolina’s doorstep. Louisiana followed with a new detection zone announced in Ouachita Parish in March 2026, further demonstrating that CWD is not confined to western or midwestern states. The southeastern deer herd — historically one of the most productive in the country — now faces a realistic threat that wildlife managers are working to contain.
The spread pattern generally follows deer movement corridors and the transportation of live deer and carcasses across state lines, which is why many states have implemented strict regulations on importing deer parts from CWD-positive zones.
What Spartanburg Hunters Should Know
South Carolina has not confirmed a CWD case as of the current season, but the state’s proximity to North Carolina means the threat is no longer abstract. SCDNR has been conducting deer carcass sampling and monitoring, particularly in counties near the North Carolina border. Spartanburg County hunters — given their geographic position in the northern Upstate — are among those whose hunting areas sit closest to the confirmed zones across the state line.
Hunters can take practical steps to reduce risk. Avoid bringing whole deer carcasses or brain and spinal tissue from out-of-state hunts back into South Carolina. When field dressing deer, minimize contact with brain and spinal column material. Report any deer exhibiting unusual behavior — extreme lethargy, excessive drooling, loss of fear of humans — to SCDNR. These precautions do not eliminate risk but reduce the chance of contributing to spread.
The science on CWD’s risk to humans remains under active study. While no human cases have been confirmed, health agencies continue to advise caution. Hunters who harvest deer in CWD-positive areas are encouraged to have animals tested before consuming the meat.
What’s Happening
Q: Has CWD been confirmed in South Carolina?
A: No confirmed cases have been detected in South Carolina as of the current season, but neighboring North Carolina confirmed its first case in 2022, and SCDNR is actively monitoring.
Q: What are the signs of CWD in a deer?
A: Infected deer may display drastic weight loss, stumbling or lack of coordination, drooping head and ears, excessive salivation, and an unusual loss of fear toward humans. If you observe a deer exhibiting these signs, report it to SCDNR.
Q: Can hunters do anything to prevent CWD from spreading to South Carolina?
A: Avoid bringing whole carcasses or high-risk parts — brain, spinal cord, spleen, lymph nodes — from CWD-positive states into South Carolina. Bone-out the meat and leave high-risk material in the state where the animal was harvested.
Q: What states have the highest CWD infection rates?
A: Wyoming, Colorado, and Wisconsin have some of the most established CWD zones, with infection rates in certain areas exceeding 40 percent of tested animals.
