The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has confirmed that a hunter-harvested white-tailed deer has tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). The infected deer, identified as a 2.5-year-old buck, was harvested on private land in Lanier County in November 2024. The sample was obtained as part of the DNR’s routine surveillance efforts to monitor wildlife health.

In response to this finding, the DNR will designate a 5-mile radius CWD Management Area (CMA) centered around the positive location in Lanier County. This management area may extend into adjacent counties if any portion falls within the designated radius. The proactive measures aim to contain the disease and gather more information about its geographic spread and prevalence in the region. Since 2002, the DNR’s Wildlife Resources Division has been diligently conducting statewide surveillance for CWD, with hopes that early detection will mitigate the impact of the disease. The DNR will continue to collect samples from the immediate vicinity where the infected deer was harvested to better understand the situation.

Despite the confirmation of CWD in the area, DNR officials want to reassure the public and hunters that this does not signal the end of deer hunting in Georgia. The Georgia DNR urges all residents and hunters to stay informed and participate in efforts to curb the spread of CWD.