State leans on hunters to keep ‘zombie deer’ disease in check

Map of the expansion to the CWD control area for 2026. (Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries)
Map of the expansion to the CWD control area for 2026. (Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries)

By: ELISE PLUNK Louisiana Illuminator A fatal disease that primarily impacts deer is slowly creeping through populations in northern Louisiana as officials ramp up efforts to control its spread. Over the past four years, Louisiana has gone from no identified cases of chronic wasting disease to 49 in a concentrated area of the state. To curb transmission, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fi…