Bield:Hunt
County disease record

Dane County, WI.

CWD PositiveEstimated — verify with agencyFIPS 55025

Dane County is among the seeded CWD-positive counties in Wisconsin. Below is what we have on record from publicly-reported agency sources, plus EHD activity history when available.

Verify with agency

County-level detection records, management zone boundaries, and transport rules can change between hunting seasons. Always cross-reference with Wisconsin DNR before relying on this page for hunting decisions.

CWD record for Dane County

Status
CWD Confirmed
First detection
2002
Most recent year on record
2024
Affected wildlife
Whitetail
Transport restrictions
Yes
Mandatory testing
Voluntary / Confirm
20052010201520202025First detection 2002Most recent 2024
Notes

Site of Wisconsin's first wild whitetail CWD detection in 2002; widely cited as one of the foundational outbreak counties in the eastern US. Verify current detection count and management zone status with WI DNR.

Source: Wisconsin DNR

Hunter FAQ — Dane County

Is it safe to eat deer harvested in Dane County?
Dane County has confirmed CWD. CDC and state wildlife agencies recommend testing harvested deer for CWD before consumption in CWD-positive areas, and not consuming meat from deer that test positive. There is no documented case of CWD transmitting to humans, but the recommendation is precautionary. EHD is a separate concern — meat from EHD-affected deer is safe to consume; EHD does not affect humans.
Are there transport restrictions for harvest taken in Dane County?
Yes — Dane County sits in a CWD-positive area, and Wisconsin restricts movement of whole carcasses (including brain and spinal tissue) across designated zone boundaries. Verify the current rules with Wisconsin DNR before transporting any harvest.
How do I get a deer tested for CWD here?
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.
Where does this county data come from?
This page summarizes publicly-reported information from Wisconsin DNR, the USDA APHIS CWD distribution map, and the National Deer Association EHD tracker. Records flagged "estimated" mean we have not personally verified the specific record against a primary agency report — cross-reference before relying on the data for hunting decisions.

Track herd health on your land.

Statewide and county data tells you what to expect in general. Bield: Hunt logs every sick or recovered deer you spot on your specific property — and surfaces patterns across seasons that outlive any single year's outbreak.

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