The Wildcat Hills CWD Project aims to understand how Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), may be impacting mule deer populations in Nebraska. The project began in early 2024 and is focused on mule deer populations in the Wildcat Hills near Scottsbluff, Nebraska. Over the coming years, researchers will gather information using GPS collars, mortality investigations, field observations, and wildlife camera traps to provide insights for both wildlife managers and others interested in mule deer conservation in western Nebraska. Ultimately, the project seeks to enhance CWD monitoring, identify CWD transmission hotspots, and contribute to effective management strategies for maintaining healthy and sustainable mule deer herds.
What are the goals of the Project?
1) Unravel the complex interactions between CWD and other sources of mule deer mortality, including predation, other diseases, and winterkill
2) Better understand how CWD influences mule deer behavior, including their use of the landscape, and where they die
The Wildcat Hills CWD Project is being conducted in the Nebraska Panhandle, near Scottsbluff, Nebraska. The study area is delineated by the Upper Platte Deer Management boundary to the north, Hwy 385 to the east, County Roads 46 and 48 to the south, and the Wyoming boarder to the west.
More information about CWD in Nebraska can be found on the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission website. This includes the most up-to-date information on counties where CWD has been detected, CWD test results from voluntary hunter contributions, and additional Nebraska-specific CWD information.
Use the form below to sign up for our bi-annual Wildcat Hills CWD Project newsletter! Newsletter subscribers will also receive notice of public events, presentations, media, and publications related to the Project.
Past newsletters can be found here: