A surveillance zone covering almost 200,000 acres in Duval, Jim Wells, Live Oak and McMullen counties will be implemented for two years after feedback was received in the August meeting of the Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPW) Commission. This zone will take effect prior to the 2022-2023 hunting season and TPW commissioners will consider the resulting data presented by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) staff to assess the need for continued surveillance in the […]
Chronic Wasting Disease
New Chronic Wasting Disease Surveillance, Containment Zones Proposed in Five Counties
Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission will consider proposed Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) surveillance and containment zones during its upcoming meeting, Aug. 24-25. If passed, these zones would enhance efforts to monitor and contain CWD in portions of Bandera, Duval, Jim Wells, Kimble, Live Oak, McMullen, Medina and Uvalde counties ahead of the upcoming hunting season. As of July 2022, 371 captive or free-ranging cervids — including white-tailed deer, mule deer, red deer and elk — […]
Biologists Remind Landowners and Hunters to Be Mindful of CWD Ahead of Deer Season
With the opening of deer season on the horizon, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) biologists are asking that hunters and landowners throughout the state be mindful of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) as new cases of the disease have been discovered in individual locations within multiple counties throughout Texas. The new positive cases were found in a free-ranging mule deer in Lubbock County, as well as within seven captive deer breeding facilities in Hunt, Uvalde, […]
Biologists Say White-Tailed Deer Population Looks Strong Ahead of Archery-Only Season Opener
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) biologists say that 2021-22 is expected to be a white-tailed deer season for the books. Last year, the overall white-tailed deer population was estimated to be 5.4 million deer. While that estimate is down from the previous two years, TPWD biologists say that if fawn recruitment predictions hold true this season, coupled with good carryover of deer from last hunting season, hunters and landowners can expect to see an […]
Chronic Wasting Disease Discovered at a Deer Breeding Facility in Duval County
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) has been discovered in a deer breeding facility in Duval County, marking the first positive detection of the disease in the county. The tissue samples were submitted by the deer breeding facility as part of required CWD surveillance programs. The samples indicated the presence of CWD during testing at the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) in College Station on August 18. The National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa […]
Chronic Wasting Disease Discovered in Lubbock County
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) has been discovered in a free-ranging 8 ½-year-old mule deer in Lubbock County, marking the first positive detection of the disease in the county. In coordination with the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC), Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is working to develop a containment & surveillance zone in the area. The tissue samples were gathered as part of routine deer mortality surveillance and revealed the presence of CWD during testing […]