AI Generated Image
New deer hunting rules aim to slow the spread of chronic wasting disease in North Carolina
WCTI • • health
Key Points:
- North Carolina is implementing new hunting regulations for the 2026-27 deer season to combat the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), including a special early season for antlered deer in affected areas starting August 22-23.
- Hunters in CWD management zones, such as Sampson, Cumberland, and northwestern areas, will experience earlier blackpowder and gun seasons, and new rules require proper disposal of non-edible deer parts to prevent disease spread.
- Starting July 1, landowners and hunters in CWD zones can apply for additional deer harvest tags through the CWD Management Assistance Program to increase deer harvests.
- Since CWD was first detected in North Carolina in 2022, nearly 100,000 deer have been tested, with confirmed cases in seven counties; the disease has not been reported to infect humans, but the CDC advises against consuming meat from infected deer.
- Wildlife officials emphasize that these measures aim to slow CWD transmission while maintaining hunting opportunities for the public.
