News and Updates

Receive CWD updates via email
The FWC uses GovDelivery to send email or text message updates on a variety of subjects. By signing up for this free service, you will automatically receive notifications about FWC news and website updates related to the topics of greatest interest to you. Visit the GovDelivery subscription page to sign up for this free service and choose “Chronic Wasting Disease Updates (CWD)” to receive information about CWD.

News Release

Zone D’s deer season begins tomorrow, Oct. 26, with new CWD regulations in place

These measures aim to increase sampling and help protect Florida’s white-tailed deer herd by reducing the potential spread of CWD within the CWD Management Zone and to other parts of the state.

News Release

NDA to conduct public meeting about chronic wasting disease

The National Deer Association hosted a public meeting in Marianna on Wednesday, Sept. 4, to inform the public about Florida’s continuing response to this disease.

News Release

FWC seeks meat processors and taxidermists to join fight against CWD

The FWC is seeking meat processors and taxidermists from select counties to help test for chronic wasting disease.

Public Meeting Recording

Recording of public meeting in Bonifay to discuss chronic wasting disease hosted by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission & Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Executive Order

FWC Executive Order 24-06, signed by FWC Executive Director Roger Young on April 10, 2024:

Re-establishment of a Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Management Zone and special regulations for deer

Amendment 1

News Release

FWC and FDACS to conduct public meeting about chronic wasting disease

This meeting on April 11 in Bonifay will provide information about CWD, updates on the unified agency and partner response, new hunting regulations for the area, and sampling and testing procedures.

News Release

CWD response efforts, increased sampling, hunter support strong during first weeks of hunting season

Nearly 400 samples from the Enhanced Surveillance Zone have been tested since the initial detection of a CWD-positive female deer found in Holmes County in June 2023. So far, CWD has not been detected in any of the additional samples.

News Release

Zone D's deer season begins tomorrow, Oct. 21

Zone D’s archery and crossbow seasons start tomorrow, Oct. 21, on lands outside of the Wildlife Management Area system, which marks the beginning of deer season in the zone. New CWD regulations are in place within the zone for this season.

Public Meeting Recording

Recording of public meeting in Marianna to discuss chronic wasting disease hosted by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission & Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

News Release

FWC, FDACS and partner agencies to conduct public meeting to discuss new regulations to slow spread of chronic wasting disease in north Florida

Following confirmation of a positive test for chronic wasting disease in a single white-tailed deer in Holmes County, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) are hosting the following public meeting in Marianna on Tuesday, Oct. 10.

Public Meeting Recording

Recording of public meeting in Bonifay to discuss chronic wasting disease hosted by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission & Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

News Release

FWC issues new executive order, outlining new hunting regulations for CWD Management Zone 

Following confirmation of a single positive test sample for chronic wasting disease in Holmes County in June 2023, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) have implemented management actions to protect against the possible spread of CWD. On Sept. 8, the FWC issued a new executive order outlining regulations designed to increase sampling and slow the spread of CWD in Florida deer.

News Release

FWC, FDACS and partner agencies to conduct two additional public meetings to discuss new regulations to slow the spread of chronic wasting disease in north Florida 

Following confirmation of a positive test for chronic wasting disease in a single white-tailed deer in Holmes County, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) have scheduled two additional public meetings in Bonifay and Marianna.

Executive Order

FWC Executive Order 23-30, signed by FWC Executive Director Roger Young on Sept. 7, 2023:
Establishment of a Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Management Zone and special regulations for deer

Public Meeting Recording

Recording of public meeting in Bonifay to discuss chronic wasting disease hosted by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission & Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

News Release

FWC, FDACS and partner agencies to conduct public meeting to discuss chronic wasting disease in north Florida

Following confirmation of a positive test for chronic wasting disease in a white-tailed deer in Holmes County, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) have scheduled a public meeting for July 6 in Bonifay. The meeting will provide information about chronic wasting disease and an opportunity for area residents to ask questions about CWD and CWD management strategies.

News Release

Find a fawn? If you care, leave it there

White-tailed deer fawning can last many months in the Florida Panhandle. Sometimes people assume a fawn they find by itself has been abandoned and they try to “rescue” it. But instead of trying to rescue it, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) advises that you leave it alone.

News Release

FWC, FDACS and partner agencies issue emergency order, implement management actions to monitor and protect against possible spread of CWD in North Florida

Following confirmation of a positive test sample for chronic wasting disease in Holmes County, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) have implemented management actions and an executive order to protect against the possible spread of CWD. 

CWD Management Zone

Executive Order

FWC Executive Order 23-19, signed by FWC Executive Director Roger Young on June 19, 2023:
Establishment of a Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Management Zone and Special Regulations for Deer

News Release

FWC, FDACS and partner agencies activate chronic wasting disease response plan after disease detected in Florida white-tailed deer

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has confirmed that a road-killed 4.5-year-old female white-tailed deer in Holmes County sampled during routine surveillance activities has tested positive for chronic wasting disease. It is the first known case of CWD in Florida, a contagious disease of the brain and central nervous system that is fatal to deer. The first case of CWD in North America was described in mule deer in Colorado in 1967. Florida is the most recent of 31 states to detect the disease, which also has been confirmed in four Canadian provinces, Finland, Norway, Sweden and South Korea.