Springfield, IL – The Illinois Department of Natural Resources will hold a series of public meetings across northern and west-central Illinois in September and early October to address chronic wasting disease (CWD) in the state’s white-tailed deer population.
According to the IDNR, the meetings will outline the current status of CWD, its potential long-term impact on free-ranging deer, and ongoing efforts to slow its spread. Landowners, hunters, and concerned residents are encouraged to attend and participate in discussions.
CWD, a fatal neurological condition, was first detected in Illinois in 2002 near Roscoe. Since then, it has been identified in 25 counties, with recent cases found in Adams, Marshall, Peoria, and Putnam counties in February 2025 through surveillance of hunter-harvested deer and animals showing symptoms. Adams County marks the first confirmed detection outside the primary CWD-affected region in northern Illinois.
The public meetings will begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted, featuring a 45- to 60-minute presentation followed by open discussion. Locations and dates include:
- Sept. 18 – Lacon Area Community Center, Lacon (Marshall County)
- Sept. 19 – Putnam County Public Library, Hennepin (Putnam County)
- Sept. 22 – Peoria Public Library, Peoria (Peoria County)
- Sept. 23 – Prouty-Zearing Community Building, Princeton (Bureau County)
- Sept. 24 – Winnebago County Forest Preserve, Rockford (Winnebago County)
- Sept. 25 – Ingersoll Learning Center, Thomson (Carroll County)
- Sept. 26 – Stockton Public Library, Stockton (Jo Daviess County)
- Sept. 29, 5:30 p.m. – Winifred Knox Memorial Library, Franklin Grove (Lee County)
- Sept. 30 – Oregon VFW Post 8739, Oregon (Ogle County)
- Oct. 2 – John Wood Community College, Quincy (Adams County)
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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