FRANKFORT, Ky. (Jan. 7, 2026) — The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources has confirmed a new case of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in a wild deer in Ballard County. This is the third case of CWD confirmed in Kentucky’s wild deer population, and the second case in Ballard County. Read more
FRANKFORT, Ky. (Oct. 29, 2025) — Officials with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources announced today that Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is confirmed in a wild deer harvested by a hunter earlier this hunting season in Pulaski County. Two independent types of tests were performed on tissue collected Read more
FRANKFORT, Ky. (Oct. 14, 2024) — Officials from the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources are gathering additional information and carefully evaluating next steps following Monday’s announcement by the Kentucky Department of Agriculture that lab testing confirmed Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in a deceased deer from a Breckinridge County deer Read more
FRANKFORT, Ky. (Dec. 7, 2023) — Officials with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources announced today that Kentucky has joined the list of states across the country with a confirmed detection of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), a fatal neurologic disease that affects deer, elk and other species in the Read more
Frankfort, KY – “It’s a risk we strongly feel Kentucky doesn’t want to take,” said Dr. Jon Gassett, commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR). Gassett’s comment comes in response to proposed Senate Bill 129, which would re-open the threat of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) becoming Read more
Kentucky fish and game officials say there is no evidence of chronic wasting disease in the state’s deer or elk herds. Similar to last year, officials are testing random samples from deer harvested through the archery and firearm seasons. Chronic wasting disease is a form of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy, a Read more
KDFWR officials are advising Kentucky hunters planning to hunt in Canada this fall to first check the status of a recent ban on importing ruminant animals or ruminant products into the United States. This includes cows, sheep, goats, and deer and elk species. In May, a single case of Bovine Read more
Frankfort, KY, May 30, 2003 — Results from testing 2, 465 hunter-harvested deer and elk for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) confirm there are no signs of this fatal disease in Kentucky’s herds. “All samples came back negative,” said Jonathan Day, forest systems coordinator for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Read more
Frankfort, KY, April 30, 2003 – Officials with the Kentucky Departments of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) and Agriculture (KDA) announce the removal of a six-month ban on in-state movement of live cervids (deer and elk) within Kentucky, effective May 13, 2003. Importing cervids into Kentucky from other states is Read more
PIKEVILLE, KY. (AP) — Brain tissue and glands from Kentucky deer killed during last fall’s hunting season have turned up no evidence of chronic wasting disease. So far, tests have been completed on 500 of 2,500 deer sampled. “I don’t expect to find anything,” said Jonathan Day, big game coordinator Read more