Is it safe to eat deer from a CWD positive county?
The CDC and state health departments recommend NOT eating venison from a deer that tests positive for CWD. There has never been a confirmed case of CWD transmission to humans, but laboratory studies show prions can infect human cells under some conditions. Test your deer if it came from a CWD zone, and don't consume positives.
Practical guidance from most state wildlife agencies in CWD zones: get the deer tested, wait for results before eating it, and discard the entire carcass if it tests positive. Most states offer free or low-cost CWD testing during deer season — check your state's disease risk pages for local testing requirements and protocols.
When field-dressing in a CWD zone, wear gloves, avoid cutting into the brain or spinal cord, debone the meat, and follow your state's carcass-transport rules. The prion concentrates in nervous tissue and lymph nodes.