Even the best experts cannot tell if a deer has CWD by looking at it until it is in the very last stages of the disease. A healthy deer can be infected with (and spreading) CWD for years before showing any signs . Very skinny deer most likely have an injury or have been infected with acute forms of “bluetongue” or some other illness. Since CWD has never been found in Kentucky, it is safe to assume an extremely thin deer here is NOT infected with CWD.

That is why live deer cannot be brought into Kentucky (and most other CWD-free states) and is why deer and elk harvested in states that do have CWD must have brain, spine, and other tissues removed prior to being brought back to Kentucky.

Also, ideally, brain samples should NOT be frozen, but rather removed shortly after harvest and preserved in formalin before being sent for testing.

Should a hunter harvest an animal that looks ill, he or she should contact their state’s game and fish department. All hunters should be familiar with the CWD status and any testing requirements of the state in which they hunt.

Tina Brunjes
Deer Biologist
KY Dept of Fish and Wildlife