WILDLIFE – A Wyoming hunter has killed a buck mule deer in the Shoshone National Forest that tested positive for a fatal neurological disorder.

The Jackson Hole News and Guide reports this is the third hunting area near Yellowstone National Park in which chronic wasting disease has been found.

This recent case is not a surprise, Scott Edberg of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department said in a statement.

He said this shows the importance of a management plan and increased surveillance in western Wyoming.

The disease impacts elk, moose and deer.  It has not been found to be linked to humans. Nonetheless, health and wildlife officials advise caution. Hunters are encouraged not to consume meat from animals known to be infected. Hunters should take common sense precautions when field dressing and processing deer or elk taken in areas where CWD is found.