Complex ecological and human-influenced factors that are characteristic of chronic wasting disease (CWD) have created substantial and unique challenges for effective management in free-ranging cervids. We sought to summarize and characterize management experiences and actions from 30 U.S. states, 4Canadian provinces, and 3 European countries that have direct experience with CWD. We surveyed wildlife agencies that had detected CWD in their free-ranging cervid population and collected information from journal articles, published reports, and agency webpages. We report management approaches and their apparent impacts by state, provincial, or national jurisdiction during 3 stages of response to CWD: 1) predetection, 2) initial response, and 3) altered response. Agencies took a proactive approach to CWD during the pre-detection phase; 12 of the 24 responding agencies had a weightedsurveillance program in place and 17 had regulations aimed at disease prevention. There was no apparent difference in initial apparent prevalence of CWD among agencies with weighted surveillance in place and those without, but complicating factors, such as differing sampling methods and sample size, were present. Agencies reported 5 common surveillance strategies, and first detections were primarily from sampling hunter-harvested deer. Bans or restrictions on interstate movement of carcasses or live animals and increased bag
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