Louisiana expands deer-baiting restrictions

After a deer tested positive for a fatal disease in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana added deer baiting restrictions to several new parishes, sparking controversy among the hunting community.

The rules have also drawn the ire of some lawmakers, who say they infringe on American freedom and disrupt Louisiana hunting culture.

State officials argue the measures will protect the state’s deer population in the long term by helping to prevent the spread of chronic wasting disease, or CWD, which has reduced deer populations in other parts of the country.

They say deer baiting can create new gathering spots for deer that would not otherwise interact, increasing the contact rate between animals and facilitating the spread of CWD.

Critics have suggested the risks of CWD may be overblown and question