Mule deer populations in some parts of Wyoming have been declining for decades. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) visited communities around the state to hear from hunters about mule management and what can be done to help the species.

Corey Class, Wildlife Management Coordinator who works out of the department’s Cody office, said the top concern in his region was chronic wasting disease (CWD).

“ Conversations ranged from some folks just wanting more information about the disease to educate themselves 'cause they really didn't understand it, to how that disease can impact mule deer, to the prevalence of the disease throughout the various portions of the region,” he said.

CWD is akin to mad cow disease. It’s always fatal and untreatable. The prions can live in the soil for years, and can spread to animals easier when they gather, like on feed grounds.

Class said another concern in the Cody region was how development, including houses and roads, is impacting available habitat.

Public concerns varied throughout the state. Class said more than 400 people attended the 37 meetings held across the state.

“When we look at mule deer management and why they're declining in the West, we often refer to it as death by a thousand cuts because no one item is decimating the herd on its own,” he said.

Statewide hunting season proposals were presented to the WGFD commission on April 22.