Results from a targeted deer hunt in the Cranbrook area show no new detections of chronic wasting disease (CWD), the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship reported today (Feb. 26).

A general open-season deer hunt was implemented between Jan. 5 and 31 in a defined area near Cranbrook to bolster sampling efforts and reduce the risk of CWD spreading to surrounding deer and elk populations.

A total of 228 deer were harvested during the hunt. All samples submitted for testing were negative for CWD.

Of the deer harvested and tested, 79% were white-tailed deer and 21% were mule deer.

Although no animals tested positive, targeted hunts within the established management zone aim to reduce deer population and density, providing fewer opportunities for close contact between animals and limiting the risk of CWD spread, the ministry said.

CWD continues to be one of the most significant wildlife-health threats facing North America’s cervid populations, including deer, elk and moose. Monitoring is essential because early detection provides the best opportunity to slow the spread of the disease and protect healthy wildlife populations, the ministry said.

The disease was first detected in B.C. in January 2024 in white-tailed deer and mule deer in the East Kootenay. During the 2025-26 season, surveillance efforts identified three additional cases in hunter-submitted samples from male white-tailed deer.

To date, nine cases of CWD have been confirmed in B.C., all originating from the established CWD management zone in the Kootenay region. Infection rates in the Cranbrook area remain low at under one per cent, and the negative test results reflect the value of ongoing management efforts, the ministry said.

“Consistent surveillance provides data needed to understand where CWD is emerging, how it is moving across the landscape and which management actions are most effective. Measures implemented as part of B.C.’s response are informed by expert recommendations, proven methods applied elsewhere and input from partners,” it added.

“Hunter harvest remains one of the most effective tools for managing CWD. It helps lower deer density and transmission rates, targets segments of the deer population most likely to be infected and removes infected animals from the landscape.

“Hunters continue to play a vital role in surveillance and management efforts through participation in targeted hunts and the submission of samples. Hunting and trapping organizations have supported the work by encouraging sample submission and promoting compliance with regulations and best practices.

“Continued co-operation is essential to reducing transmission, preventing spread into new areas and limiting the impacts of CWD on wildlife, Indigenous communities, hunters and the broader public, who rely on healthy wildlife populations for food security, cultural practices, recreation and local economies.”

CWD is always fatal in infected animals and has no known cure.

The disease spreads through direct contact and contaminated environments.

Testing harvested animals helps detect cases early and guide management actions.

e-KNOW file photo

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