Mississippi: Up to 40 deer tested had deadly brain disease

5 years ago

FILE - In this Nov. 17, 2011 file photo, a mature white-tailed deer buck stands alertly in a suburban neighborhood in Moreland Hills, Ohio. An Ohio legislative panel on Wednesday signed off on new deer hunting regulations that cut the number of animals that hunters can kill statewide. The rules also eliminate hunting zone areas and set per-county caps on bag limits. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta, File)

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – Mississippi says it’s identified 40 deer infected or probably infected with a deadly brain disease.

The state is asking for hunters to continue providing samples. Nearly all infected and suspected deer were in north Mississippi, including 25 killed or found in Benton County and 10 in adjacent Marshall County. But two were about 160 miles (257 kilometers) away in west-central Issaquena County, which lies along the Mississippi River. Panola, Pontotoc and Tallahatchie counties had one each.

State wildlife official Russ Walsh says the department hopes hunters provide hundreds more to test by the end of January.