Lewis County Chronic Wasting Disease Meeting Set for February 27, 2024

HOHENWALD, Tenn. --- The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and the University of Tennessee will host a public meeting to raise awareness and answer questions regarding the discovery of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in Lewis County.

The meeting will be held on Feb. 27, 2024, at the Old Lewis County Courthouse in Hohenwald from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and is open to anyone with questions or an interest in learning about CWD.

During the meeting, TWRA Veterinarian, Dr. Dan Grove, will give an overview of CWD and how it affects deer. A presentation on hunting regulations and the restrictions that accompany inclusion into the CWD Management Zone will be followed by a question-and-answer period. County residents and local hunters are encouraged to attend to stay up to date on regulations and disease management efforts.

CWD was first found in Tennessee in 2018. Since then, 17 Tennessee counties have reported a positive case of the disease. A deer harvested in Lewis County tested positive during the 2023-24 deer season prompting the TWRA to enact CWD management protocols to place Lewis County in the CWD Management Zone.

Since discovery of the disease, TWRA has worked with hunters and landowners to implement science-based management practices to monitor and prevent the spread of CWD in Tennessee. The agency also provides CWD testing at no cost to hunters and is committed to public education.  

Chronic Wasting Disease is fatal to cervids (whitetail deer, elk, moose, and mule deer). First identified around 1970 on the Colorado/Wyoming border, the disease has slowly spread across the county and now affects 31 states in the U.S.

What: Lewis County, Chronic Wasting Disease Meeting

Where: Old Lewis County Courthouse - 2nd floor
            North Park Street
             Hohenwald, TN 38462

When: February 27, 2024,

            7-8:30 p.m.

                                                              ---- TWRA ----