Concern in Illinois as Fatal Neurological Deer Disease Found in 4 More Counties

An always-fatal neurological illness that affects white-tailed deer has been discovered in several more Illinois counties, sparking concern among wildlife officials.

CWD Confirmed in Four New Illinois Counties

According to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources press release, the area the disease has reached across the west-central and northern parts of the state has significantly expanded.

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First identified in Roscoe, Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) has now been confirmed in 25 Illinois counties, including these four that were recently reported:

• Putnam County
• Marshall County
• Peoria County
• Adams County

The confirmed case in Adams County marks the first case of CWD located outside the IDNR's established leading edge of the region that the disease affects.

Diagnostic Testing Reveals Spread in Hunter-Harvested Deer

According to diagnostic testing in early February 2025, there was already confirmation of CWD in deer harvested by hunters in Putnam, Marshall, and Adams counties.

A two-year-old deer exhibiting symptoms consistent with CWD infection led to confirmation in Peoria County.

According to the report, genetic testing was conducted in Adams County to ensure tissue samples matched the source deer, which follows established protocols.

Illinois Maintains National Leadership in CWD Response

Despite this recent CWD spread, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources says the strategies they have implemented have helped keep the overall spread of the disease low for a nearly an entire generation of deer hunters.

Illinois is a national leader in managing and slowing the spread of CWD. -IDNR Director Natalie Phelps Finnie

Hunters are being urged to test harvested deer and avoid consuming any "high-risk" tissues like the brain, spinal cord, and eyes.

The CDC and WHO currently advise against eating meat from any CWD-positive animals, though there have been zero human cases reported.

For hunters or anyone else who wants to know about plans to manage the CWD in the region, there's an expected public meeting to go over management strategies later this year.