The Missouri Department of Conservation will hold a landowner meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 22, at the Mtn. View Community Center, 125 E. First St., to discuss deer management and chronic wasting disease.
The Mtn. View meeting is one of eight being held around the state this fall as part of a localized pilot effort in Chronic Wasting Disease Core Areas. According to MDC, CWD Core Areas are locations within about 1 to 2 miles of a confirmed case of chronic wasting disease.
Chronic wasting disease is a contagious and fatal brain disease that affects white-tailed deer and other members of the deer family. MDC says the disease is a growing threat to deer health and the future of deer hunting in Missouri.
Landowners in CWD Core Areas will receive invitations by mail from MDC before their area meeting with additional details.
During the meetings, MDC staff will share information about deer management and CWD, answer questions and learn about landowners’ deer management goals. Staff also will discuss the role of hunter harvest in managing deer populations.
According to MDC, increasing deer harvest near areas where CWD has been found can help slow the spread of the disease, support a healthier herd and maintain hunting opportunities.
“The new approach focuses on building partnerships with landowners and putting hunters at the forefront of deer and CWD management by encouraging additional harvest during deer season,” said Jason Isabelle, MDC cervid program supervisor. “We’ll use what is learned through this year’s pilot to develop a template that can be replicated in other CWD Core Areas in the future.”
MDC encourages landowners and hunters in all CWD Core Areas to help protect the herd by harvesting additional deer and having harvested deer tested.
To provide hunters with more opportunity to harvest deer, landowners with at least 20 contiguous acres in CWD Core Areas can receive five no-cost CWD Management Permits for use on qualifying property.
MDC paused its targeted deer removal efforts in 2025 and currently has no plans to resume the approach. This spring, MDC held public meetings throughout the state to seek input on the future of deer management.
“During our conversations, it was clear that landowners and hunters want to maintain a healthy herd and they want to work together to manage deer and CWD through the regular hunting season,” Isabelle said. “This fall’s pilot is in direct response to public feedback we received this spring, and we look forward to partnering on this important effort.”
Other meetings are planned in Lowry City, Carthage, Moberly, Hillsboro, Cape Girardeau, Harrisburg and Tina.
For more information, visit mdc.mo.gov/cwd.
