Des Moines, Iowa — The Iowa Department of Natural Resources expert who oversees the state’s deer population tells the Natural Resources Commission they’ve been getting calls following reports on the results of a study of COVID in deer.
Wildlife biometrician Tyler Harms says the Wildlife Bureau conducted the study after seeing studies in other states which found no COVID in deer.
He says they tested 233 samples from deer that were collected to test for Chronic Wasting Disease and found 33 percent had active infections.
He says they do recommend that hunters continue the standard safety procedures whenever they are processing deer.
Harms also notes this about venison.
Harms says a COVID-19 study of deer in Ohio released this week found similar results to Iowa’s study. The early deer archery season is currently underway in Iowa. The first shotgun deer season will begin on December 4th. Harms spoke during Wednesday’s Natural Resources Commission meeting.
