BOULDER, Colo. — Hunters in Colorado are being advised to be on the lookout for a contagious disease that kills deer.
The Daily Camera reports chronic wasting disease has now spread to 24 states, including Colorado.
And, while it has yet to happen, there is some concern it could spread to humans who hunt and eat the meat.
The disease can cause drastic weight loss, lack of coordination and drooping ears, which prompted the nickname “zombie” deer disease.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife public information officer Jason Clay says Colorado has mandatory testing for deer harvests in certain regions, including Boulder County.
For hunters who have meat in the freezer, the chance to test for the disease has already passed. Clay says they need the animal’s head to test its lymph nodes, and it should be submitted within five days of being hunted.