Deer Disease Is Spreading, Scientists Fear

A wild deer on an elk ranch near Craig has tested positive for chronic wasting disease, the first time the disease has been found west of the Continental Divide in Colorado, Gov. Bill Owens said Friday.

Owens called the development serious, saying the future of the state’s wild deer herd could be at stake. “Until now, one of our best weapons for containing the disease was the Continental Divide. Now that barrier has been broken,” he said.

Test results on two other deer killed on the ranch will be available Monday, Division of Wildlife Director Russell George said. He said he believes they were infected too.

Chronic wasting disease is a contagious brain ailment that strikes elk and deer, causing them to grow thin and die. No reliable method exists to detect the disease in live animals, so they must be killed for testing.

The deer that tested positive was found at the Mother Well Ranch. State Veterinarian Dr. Wayne Cunningham quarantined the ranch, and officials plan to kill 10 more wild deer and the 39 captive elk there.

State officials did not release the rancher’s name, and no phone number for the ranch was available.

The infected animal was one of about 300 wild deer inadvertently penned at the 1,800-acre ranch late last year. Most have been killed. The infected animal was among a group killed in January and February, George said.

The rancher and wildlife officials tried for six months to remove the deer before they resorted to killing them, Agriculture Commissioner Don Ament said.

All deer killed on the ranch are being tested for the disease.

Officials now plan to kill at least 300 wild deer within five miles of the ranch to determine whether the disease has spread. “It may be we have to go to 1,000 before we get some reliable data,” George said.