Chronic wasting disease detected in northern Illinois deer, IDNR plans informational sessions

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Natural Resources will host two public meetings in Lee and Bureau counties to provide information about the recent detection of chronic wasting disease, its effect on free-ranging deer populations and the IDNR’s efforts to control the disease.

IDNR staff biologists will be available to discuss current management strategies and answer questions about the disease, commonly referred to as CWD. Landowners, hunters and concerned residents are encouraged to attend.

CWD is an important issue that will continue to dominate future deer management discussions in northern Illinois.

The scheduled meetings are:

• Lee County: 5:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 15, Winifred Knox Memorial Library, 112 Elm St., Franklin Grove.
• Bureau County: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 17, Hennepin Canal State Trail office, 16006 875 East St., Sheffield.

Meetings will include a 45- to 60-minute presentation followed by a discussion.

CWD is an always-fatal neurological disease that threatens the long-term health of white-tailed deer in Illinois. First documented in Illinois in 2002 near Roscoe, CWD has been detected in 20 counties across the northern edge and northeastern portions of Illinois, and as far south as Kankakee and Livingston counties.

Affected counties include Boone, Bureau, Carroll, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Jo Daviess, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, LaSalle, Lee, Livingston, McHenry, Ogle, Stephenson, Will and Winnebago.

Most recently, CWD was detected in Lee County in 2021 and Bureau County in November 2023.

For information about the public meetings or about CWD, email Chris Jacques, wildlife disease program manager, at chris.jacques@illinois.gov.