Battle with Texas rancher ends, 249 ‘zombie deer’ killed amid state’s largest CWD outbreak

In Texas, wildlife officials killed nearly 250 white-tailed deer, most of which were suffering from what’s called “zombie deer disease,” following a multi-year battle with a breeder.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department officials told USA TODAY state agents used rifles and pistols Thursday to eradicate animals infected with chronic wasting disease (CWD), a contagious and deadly degenerative infection specific to deer.

The depopulation took place at the 1,500-acre RW Trophy Ranch in Terrell, a town about 33 miles east of Dallas, to stop what state officials called the largest known outbreak (MDC) that the State of Texas “has ever known.”

The ranch, located in Hunt County, is owned by Robert Williams, a veteran rancher of more than 35 years, and his daughter, Maree Lou Williams.

The killings began in broad daylight, state wildlife press secretary Lerrin Johnson said Monday, and after sunset the carcasses were taken to a biohazard waste dump in Waco, more than 160 kilometers away.

“This is a task we never take lightly and is always a last resort, but has proven to be the most prudent and standard practice for managing prion diseases in wildlife,” TPWD said in a statement to USA TODAY.

In early 2022, Williams sued the state to try to stop the eradication of animals for which he had a breeding permit, records show. He lost his court case earlier this year.

Under Texas law, people can obtain a permit to breed white-tailed deer, but they are wild animals and cannot be legally possessed.

USA TODAY contacted Williams.

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What is chronic wasting disease?

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a highly contagious disease specific to deer, elk, reindeer and elk, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is deadly and there is no vaccine.

First identified in a captive deer at a Colorado research center in 1967, the first case of wild deer appeared in 1981.

As of early May, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, it had been detected in deer in 34 states and five Canadian provinces.

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Can humans get chronic wasting disease?

There have been no cases of chronic wasting disease in humans to date, according to the CDC. But the body is still investigating potential risks and advising people not to eat meat from animals that have tested positive for the disease.

Since 2012, the wildlife agency has reported 795 cases of CWD, the most recent in a white-tailed deer on May 16.

“If CWD is not contained and controlled, the implications of the disease for Texas and its multi-billion dollar economies in ranching, hunting, wildlife management and real estate could be significant” , TPWD said.

A legal battle lasting several years to save his herd

According to TPWD, in early 2021, one of the deer on Williams’ ranch contracted CWD.

Soon, more deer tested positive for the disease and the state issued a cull order for the deer that, according to court documents, was rejected by Williams.

In January 2022, the breeder – who had a permit to raise deer – filed suit against the TPWD and the Texas Animal Health Commission in an effort to fight the depopulation order.

Attorneys for the state argued the case should be dropped because, under Texas law, the public owns all white-tailed deer in the state, including those owned by private breeders.

The lawsuit went to the Texas Supreme Court after the 14th Court of Appeals in Houston upheld the state’s decision earlier this year. The High Court ruled that eradicating the deer did not violate Williams’ property rights.

“Nearly 90 percent of the samples collected this year came back positive or suspicious,” Johnson said Monday of the herd.

As of Monday, samples from the depopulation were still being processed at the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, and state officials said results were not expected for several weeks.

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What are the symptoms of chronic wasting disease?

Chronic wasting disease in animals is called “zombie deer disease” because it causes the following symptoms:

• Lack of coordination

• Weightloss

• Apathy

• Drool

• Stumbling

• Lack of fear of people

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Contact her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hundreds of ‘zombie’ deer with CWD killed at Texas’ RW Trophy Ranch