The Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency reports 10 deer in Tennessee tested positive for chronic wasting disease or CWD. 

So far, the disease has only been confirmed in Fayette and Hardeman counties. In addition, the TWRA says three more deer have tested positive this week from the same counties. 

Once a deer contracts chronic wasting disease it may not show symptoms of it for a year and half or even two years is the scary part so it could be carrying that disease spreading it around to other deer and not showing any signs of it,”   said local TWRA spokesperson Matthew Cameron. 

The TWRA is having a special called meeting today to discuss regulatory changes in Hardeman and Fayette counties. News Channel 11 was told the TWRA plans to set up a 25-mile buffer zone in the areas where the disease has been found and test deer from those areas.

“We’re hoping that hunters will do their part in not transporting deer from infected areas. That they properly skin and de-bone the meat and they only carry processed meat back for their freezer. They leave the waste products behind or dispose of them properly,” Cameron told News Channel 11.  “We probably could expect some regulation changes on how hunters transport their deer specifically from areas that are known to be infected with CWD.”

Last week, the TWRA enacted a CWD response plan after its first detection of CWD.  

CWD is a neurological degenerative disease and is fatal to deer, elk and moose. 

The TWRA says the CWD has the potential to impact East Tennessee’s low elk population. 

“We definitely want to keep it from getting into them because of the low number of elk that we have if they were to contract it — it could wipe out our entire elk population. So we’re hoping that this disease does not spread from where it’s at,” said Cameron.  

The disease was first detected in Colorado in 1967. 

The TWRA hopes the geography of the state will prevent the spread of CWD to East Tennessee since the Tennessee River is a natural barrier.