The deer, which was collected for disease monitoring, CWD and Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD), was in Atkinson County, near the Berrien County line, approximately 14 miles from the nearest CWD-positive deer location.

“We applaud hunters and private landowners for their efforts so far this season with submitting samples and staying vigilant for signs of the disease. This continued partnership will help us continue to manage CWD in the state and ensure a healthy deer herd,” said DNR Commissioner Walter Rabon.

In January 2025, Georgia confirmed its first positive case of CWD in a hunter-harvested deer from the Lanier/Berrien County line. Following this detection, Georgia DNR initiated its CWD Response Plan and established the CWD Management Area (CMA), which includes any county touching a 5-mile radius around each positive location found. With a recent preliminary-positive CWD sample detected, Atkinson County is added to the CMA, which also includes Berrien, Lanier and Lowndes counties. Since the initial finding in January 2025, 398 samples have been submitted from the CMA counties, with nine total positive samples.

The Georgia DNR encourages all hunters in the CMA to take their deer to sampling locations. Free sampling locations have been established throughout the CMA, including new ones in Atkinson County, and in counties surrounding the CMA. Hunters can expect testing results (for deer in the CMA) to take between 2-6 weeks. Testing location information and test results are posted on the website at GeorgiaWildlife.com/CWD.

What is Being Done? 
Georgia DNR’s CWD Management Area expands to include Atkinson County. Georgia DNR staff are working to establish additional testing and drop off locations for hunters in Atkinson County. Staff will continue working with landowners and hunters in the immediate area to determine the geographic extent and prevalence rate (i.e., how far it has spread and what percent of deer in that area have CWD). To keep prevalence low, additional deer (up to 5-10) are harvested around each CWD detection (cluster sampling) as they are most likely to have been in contact with the positive deer.

What is CWD?
CWD was first discovered in 1967 in Fort Collins, Colorado. CWD is a fatal neurological disease of deer, elk, and moose caused by infectious, misfolded proteins called prions. There are no current treatments or preventative vaccines.

CWD in deer, elk, and/or moose has been reported in 36 states and 5 Canadian provinces. For up-to-date information on where CWD has been found, please visit cwd-info.org.

There is no known transmission of CWD to humans. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that hunters harvesting a deer, elk, or moose from an area where CWD is known to be present have their animal tested for CWD prior to consuming the meat and do not consume the meat if the animal tests positive.

For more information on Chronic Wasting Disease and Georgia’s management efforts or to find testing location information, visit GeorgiaWildlife.com/CWD.  

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