DNREC to Hold First Community Meeting on Chronic Wasting Disease in State’s Deer Herd May 13 in Laurel

The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) will hold the first community meeting about the recent detection of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in Delaware's white-tailed deer at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 13 at the Baldcypress Nature Center at Trap Pond State Park in Laurel. For anyone unable to attend the in-person meeting, a virtual option is available on the DNREC meeting calendar.

The community meeting is one of the first steps in Delaware's Response Plan for CWD in the state's deer herd. DNREC invites the public to attend and get more information about CWD, ask questions, understand the state's next steps and learn how the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife's surveillance for the disease will affect the upcoming hunting seasons. Daily entrance fees for Trap Pond State Park will be waived between 6 and 8 p.m. for those attending the CWD community meeting.

DNREC will hold additional meetings to provide more information for deer hunters and processors over the coming months. CWD will also be a topic on the agenda at the next Advisory Council on Wildlife and Freshwater Fish Meeting, to be held on June 2 at the Little Creek Hunter Education Building (3018 Bayside Drive, Dover, Del.). The council meeting and all CWD community meetings going forward also will offer a virtual option for attending.

DNREC recently announced the state's first positive test for CWD after it was confirmed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Veterinary Services Laboratory (USDA NVSL). The detection was from a hunter-harvested deer sampled in Delaware as part of routine surveillance. A second deer sampled during the 2025-2026 season in the state tested presumptive positive at the Pennsylvania Animal Diagnostic Laboratory System and is awaiting confirmation by the USDA NVSL.

With the state's first case of CWD confirmed and a second case now a strong possibility, DNREC will continue its longstanding surveillance program of Delaware's white-tailed deer herd to better understand the extent of the disease and monitor its spread. More information, including the state response plan, a map of the management area and public guidance about CWD is available at the de.gov/cwd webpage.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state's natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities, and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware's fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on more than 75,000 acres of public land owned or managed by the Division of Fish and Wildlife. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Michael Globetti, [email protected]; Nikki Lavoie, [email protected]

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