All Maryland detections originated within the state’s existing management area
Maryland Department of Natural Resources image
Maryland 2026 - The Maryland Department of Natural Resources reported that 69 white-tailed deer sampled in 2025 tested positive for chronic wasting disease, a neurological disease found in deer, elk, and moose that the department monitors annually.
All the positive samples came from within the existing seven-county Chronic Wasting Disease Management Area.
The deer were found in Allegany (27), Baltimore (2), Carroll (2), Frederick (13), Howard (1), Montgomery (3), and Washington (21) counties. A total of 2,072 samples from 2025 were submitted for laboratory testing. The number of detections is consistent with 2024, when 62 positive samples were found.
“Although we did not detect chronic wasting disease in any additional counties, disease spread within Maryland and the region is still a concern,” Wildlife and Heritage Service Director Karina Stonesifer said. “The department will continue to monitor the disease where it currently exists, conduct surveillance in areas with the highest risk of spread, and provide reliable information to the public.”
The Department of Natural Resources has conducted annual surveillance of deer since 1999 and works with neighboring states to monitor chronic wasting disease in the deer population. Management areas are established to help keep hunters informed, regulate how deer carcasses can be transported, and to slow the spread of the disease.
Since the Maryland program began, 17,778 deer have been tested with 354 positive cases. Chronic wasting disease was first detected in Maryland in November 2010. In 2024, Maryland’s management area spread to a seventh county with a detection in Howard County.
Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia have all documented the disease in the region. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, Maryland is one of 37 states and 4 Canadian provinces with chronic wasting disease documented in free-ranging cervids in North America.
Concerns about chronic wasting disease should not stop anyone from hunting deer or enjoying venison. Research suggests the disease cannot be naturally transmitted to humans. However, as a general safety precaution it is recommended that hunters avoid consuming the meat of sick animals as well as the brain, lymph nodes or spinal column of any deer — all of which are normally removed during the butchering process.
Hunters and the public can help by reporting any deer that are emaciated, unhealthy, or acting abnormally. Hunters can also help by granting permission to the department to collect tissue samples from harvested deer. The department can be reached at 410-260-8540.
To find more information on chronic wasting disease in Maryland, citizens should visit the Maryland Department of Natural Resources website.
