West Michigan Hunters Encouraged to Get Deer Tested for CWD

The Michigan DNR is urging hunters in five West Michigan counties to test their 2026 deer harvest for CWD to track infection rates in Mecosta, Newaygo, Kent, Montcalm and Ionia counties.

Chronic Wasting Disease in Michigan

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Chronic Wasting Disease was first found in Michigan in 2008 at a private deer-breeding facility in Kent County. The infected deer was only 3 years old, and at the time, the owner was able to contain the disease and prevent it from spreading.

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CWD wasn’t found in wild deer until May 2015, when it was detected in Ingham County, home to Lansing. Since then, the fatal neurological disease has been detected in wild deer in multiple counties across both the Lower and Upper Peninsulas.

Read More: Shocking Deer Virus Cases Confirmed in Michigan

CWD has now been detected in wild deer across 18 Michigan counties. For 2026, the DNR is focusing on five counties in West Michigan and asking hunters to get their 2026 deer harvest tested for the disease.

DNR Asks West Mi Hunters to Get Their Deer Tested for CWD

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The Michigan DNR says hunters who harvest deer in Mecosta, Newaygo, Kent, Montcalm and Ionia counties are encouraged to get them tested for CWD. The goal is to find out whether infection rates in the region are going up or down.

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The DNR monitors counties in groups of about six each year before restarting the cycle to compare the data. The DNR wants to see if the disease is manageable in this particular group of counties and how prevalent the disease is among deer in the region.

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For information on where to get your deer tested and how to submit samples, visit the Michigan DNR's CWD testing page.

👇BELOW: Michigan Counties With Confirmed Cases of Deadly Deer Disease👇