Five western Kentucky counties back under surveillance for deer disease

Five western Kentucky counties are back under surveillance for deer disease.

The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife established a Chronic Wasting Disease Surveillance Zone last year in Calloway, Marshall, Graves, Fulton, and Hickman counties after a deer in Tennessee had tested positive.

Although the disease hasn't made an appearance in Kentucky, the special regulations will help wildlife officials detect and contain any potential spread.

Regulations in place this season include mandatory CWD check stations for select dates during modern gun season; no feeding or baiting of deer at any time in the surveillance zone; and no transportation of harvested deer carcasses, their intact heads, or other high-risk parts out of the surveillance zone.

Any deer harvested from November 12-14, November 19-21, and November 26-27 must be brought to a check station from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. for sampling. Hunters must bring either an intact deer carcass, a field-dressed deer, or just the head.

You can find a list of check stations and learn more by clicking here.