A white-tailed deer in autumn woods.
By Mara Quinn | November 10, 2026
CWD Found in Wild New York Deer for First Time Since 2005
A wild white-tailed deer harvested last month in Livingston County has tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease. State wildlife officials confirmed the case, calling it the first detection in a wild New York deer since 2005. The DEC has since established a containment zone.
The infected animal was an adult female taken in the Town of Sparta. A regional meat processor collected a sample from the deer. Cornell University then ran the laboratory analysis. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation confirmed the positive result.
Chronic Wasting Disease is a contagious, always-fatal neurological illness that strikes deer, elk, and moose. The disease attacks the nervous system, eventually killing every animal it infects. Officials report no current evidence the disease transmits to humans or domestic pets. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention nonetheless strongly advises against consuming venison from any animal that tests positive.
Background
New York last confirmed a wild CWD case in 2005. That year, the disease appeared in both captive and wild deer in Oneida County. In 2024, a captive red deer herd in Herkimer County also tested positive. That detection did not spread to wild deer. The state recorded no further wild cases in the years between.
DEC Response
The DEC has established a containment zone covering six Livingston County towns: Conesus, Groveland, North Dansville, Sparta, Springwater, and West Sparta. Hunters active in those towns now face new requirements. The DEC has not yet publicly released the specific rules. On-site sample collection is scheduled to begin November 12.
