Illinois disease risk map.

Illinois has confirmed CWD. CDC and state wildlife agencies recommend NOT consuming meat from any deer that tests positive for CWD, and recommend testing harvested deer in CWD-positive areas before consumption. There is no documented case of CWD transmitting to humans, but the recommendation is precautionary. EHD is a separate concern — meat from deer that survived EHD or were harvested in an EHD year is safe; EHD does not affect humans.

If hunting in a CWD-positive area, follow your state agency's carcass transport rules — most agencies prohibit moving whole carcasses with brain or spinal tissue across designated zone boundaries. Verify the current rules with your state wildlife agency before transporting any harvest.

Most state wildlife agencies offer free or low-cost CWD testing of harvested deer at check stations or sample-drop locations during season. Contact the state agency for current testing locations and turnaround times.

Illinois historically has frequent EHD activity. EHD outbreaks are weather-driven (hot, dry, midge-heavy late summers) and are not predictable year over year. Refer to your state agency's most recent annual report for current outbreak status.

Disease status on this page is summarized from publicly-reported information from Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the USDA APHIS CWD distribution map, and the National Deer Association EHD tracker. Bield does not generate disease records — we surface what state agencies report. Always verify directly with Illinois Department of Natural Resources before making hunting decisions.