Two Deer on Texas Farm Test Positive for CWD Amid Smuggling Violations
Mary Van Beusekom, MS
Chronic Wasting Disease
Two white-tailed deer at a breeding facility in Texas have tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD), a serious illness that wildlife regulations aim to control. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) announced this finding, linking the facility to a recently uncovered deer-smuggling operation.
These detections mark the first cases of CWD in Tom Green County, located in west-central Texas. The farm is owned by 64-year-old Ken Schlaudt from San Antonio.
According to TPWD, “The facility is one of several linked to the recent ‘Ghost Deer’ investigation, where Texas Game Wardens discovered extensive and coordinated violations in deer breeding.”
The infractions included smuggling both captive and free-range deer between various farms and ranches, violations related to CWD testing and licensing, as well as drug-related charges concerning controlled sedatives. CWD is a fatal neurological disease affecting cervids such as deer and elk.
Col. Ronald VanderRoest, the TPWD law enforcement director, emphasized the seriousness of these actions: “These intentional acts jeopardize the health and wellbeing of every deer in the state by circumventing the laws designed to prevent the spread of CWD.”
Due to poor recordkeeping, the extent of additional CWD exposures remains uncertain. The TPWD highlighted that proper transfer procedures require CWD testing before moving deer between facilities. Furthermore, the law mandates the submission of identification, movement, and testing records to Texas Wildlife Information Management Services.
Because of negligent recordkeeping and deliberate testing violations at Schlaudt’s facility, it is unclear how many CWD-exposed deer have been transferred or which other ranches and facilities across Texas may be impacted.
As a result of multiple violations uncovered during the investigation—including felony tampering with governmental records and breaches of disease monitoring protocols that heightened the risk of spreading CWD—TPWD stated that all deer at Schlaudt’s facility were removed for disease testing.
The investigation commenced in 2024 after Game Wardens identified violations during a traffic stop in Montgomery County. This led to the discovery of one of the largest deer-smuggling networks in Texas history, resulting in approximately 1,400 charges against 24 individuals across 11 counties.
Source: https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/chronic-wasting-disease/2-deer-infected-texas-farm-linked-cwd-testing-violations-deer-smuggling
