HOT TOPIC ON CWD RESISTANT DEER DRAWING CONTROVERSY
In February 2026 landowners in Oklahoma will be able to buy a $500 permit that would allow them to purchase deer that are supposed to be CWD resistant from Captive deer breeders and release them into the wild on their own property.
This new approach centers around a study that suggests that a certain genetic strain of deer known as the 96SS genotype could be resistant to CWD. The study suggests the 96SS deer test positive for CWD less often than other deer.
Opponents to this pilot program in Oklahoma fear that these captive deer released into the wild might spread different genes into wild deer, spread more disease and generally be a bad idea. They say the 96SS deer can still get CWD but the incubation period is longer and has the potential to spread even more CWD by living longer with the disease.
I'm not sure if this is a solution to CWD or not. But at least someone is open to trying something other than culling healthy deer from the herd. I personally believe from things I've read that there can be CWD resistant deer living in the wild. But if our only solution is to kill off the healthy deer that might be resistant to the disease how is the herd ever going to develop a natural immunity?
I do know this, the MDC and other DNRs have killed more healthy deer with their CWD Management Culling practices than CWD itself has ever killed or maybe ever will kill.
We are at a crossroads with the future of our deer and deer hunting in Missouri and North America. Apparently CWD Management practices in place aren't working because more and more positive CWD deer are found each year and more counties are added to the CWD Management Zone. Something must change. I refuse to accept this "new normal" where our own Department of "Conservation" is killing healthy deer every year to prevent them from spreading a disease they don't even have. Culling isn't conserving! The general public needs to know about this. Spread the word.