Q.CWD & Disease Safety
How do I know if a deer has CWD?
A.
You can't tell from looking at most CWD-infected deer until late stages. Lab testing — typically of lymph nodes from the throat — is the only reliable diagnosis. Visible symptoms (severe weight loss, drooling, no fear of humans, ataxia) only appear in deer that are months into infection and shedding heavily.
If your deer came from a CWD zone, test it. Don't rely on the deer looking healthy. The early-stage prion shedders that drive transmission look completely normal.
For reporting suspected sick deer in the woods, contact your state wildlife agency — most have a hotline or online reporting form. State disease risk pages list contact info.