BONNERS FERRY – A dead white-tailed deer in Boundary County has tested positive for chronic wasting disease, the first known case of the disease in northern Idaho.

According to Idaho Fish and Game, the dead deer was found by a landowner about three miles outside of Bonners Ferry in early July. CWD affects members of the deer family and is always fatal to infected animals, causing brain degeneration and wasting of the infected body.

Now, Idaho Fish and Game will make detecting and minimizing potential spread of the disease a top priority to keep big game populations healthy, Fish and Game said in a press release.

“While we are disappointed with the discovery of CWD in northern Idaho, the department is well prepared to respond to the situation. It has a comprehensive strategy in place to combat chronic wasting disease, has already conducted sampling for CWD in deer throughout the region, and has experience managing affected populations in other parts of the state,” said Carson Watkins, Panhandle Regional Manager. “Going forward, we will work closely with the Boundary County community to chart a course for long-term control of CWD on the landscape.”

In 2021, chronic wasting disease was identified for the first time in Idaho.

Fish and Game is asking hunters to have all deer and elk harvested in northern Idaho tested for the disease. This can be done at any Fish and Game regional office or drop-off location.

Any roadkill of moose or deer along the Highway 95 corridor from Bonners Ferry to the Canadian border or along Highway 2 from Bonners Ferry to the Montana state border should be reported, the release said.

Any deer or elk exhibiting unusual behavior or illness in Boundary County should also be reported to (208) 769-1414.