Reminder to Illinois landowners and wildlife enthusiasts: Don't feed wild deer

SPRINGFIELD- The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is reminding Illinois residents and visitors of the state's ban on the feeding of wild deer and other wildlife in areas where wild deer are present.  The ban was enacted in 2002 as part of the state's continuing effort to limit the spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in the Illinois wild deer herd.

The ban includes food, salt, mineral blocks and other food products, with some exceptions.  For example, bird and squirrel feeders close to homes and incidental feeding of wildlife within active livestock operations are exempt from the ban.  For a complete list of the exemptions see the administrative rule 17 Illinois Administrative Code Part 635 on the IDNR web site at http://dnr.state.il.us/legal/adopted/635.pdf

"This regulation is intended to help prevent the spread of a very dangerous disease in the Illinois deer herd," said IDNR Acting Director Sam Flood.  "We are not trying to impact homeowners and their individual bird feeders or prevent feeding squirrels in the back yard, nor are we trying to impact active livestock operations.  The fact is bait sites where deer congregate have the potential to contribute to the spread of diseases that are transmitted by animal to animal contact, including CWD and bovine tuberculosis. Eliminating the feeding of wild deer will help control the spread of CWD and other diseases among deer."

Feed stores, pet stores and other retail outlets are also advised not to promote the sale of salt blocks, grain or other feed for wild deer.

Chronic wasting disease is a fatal neurological disease found in deer and elk.  The disease affects the brains of infected animals, causing them to become emaciated, display abnormal behavior, lose coordination and eventually die.  It is not known to be contagious to livestock or humans.

CWD has been diagnosed in wild, free-ranging deer and elk as well as in captive animals in a number of western states for many years.  The first confirmed cases of CWD in wild deer in Illinois were detected in Boone and Winnebago counties in 2002.  To date, a total of 148 deer have tested positive for CWD in Illinois.  The affected animals were found or harvested by hunters in Boone, Winnebago, McHenry, DeKalb and Ogle counties.

IDNR continues to collect tissue samples from wild deer for CWD testing.  As part of the surveillance and monitoring effort, hunters in northern Illinois are asked to voluntarily provide tissues samples from deer they are harvesting during the archery and firearm deer seasons this fall and winter.

"We appreciate the cooperation of hunters and other Illinois citizens in combating the spread of CWD," Flood said.  "Sampling deer taken by hunters is an extremely important part of this effort.  So is the voluntary cooperation of landowners and other Illinois residents in not feeding wild deer.  Setting out feed or a salt block that attracts deer could accelerate the spread of CWD."

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