OK I looked into the CWD counties. Although there are 16 CWD counties, the bulk of the issue is in the 4 core counties of Boone, DeKalb, McHenry and Winnebago.
When I compiled the numbers available for the 4 core counties IMO CWD isn't playing a real part in the decline of the state's overall deer harvest numbers the last few years. The harvest numbers in 3 of the 4 core CWD counties have actually been on the rise as the statewide deer harvest numbers have dropped.
So I'm still scratching my head.......
Boone (1 of 4 core CWD counties)
CWD cases/deer harvested
2003 (9/?), 04 (25/?), 05 (13/525), 06 (16/435), 07 (14/368), 08 (11/329), 09 (9/391), 10 (14/297), 11 (7/294), 12 (5/289), 13 (4/244), 14 (5/297)
DeKalb (2 of 4 core CWD counties)
CWD cases/deer harvested
03 (0/?), 04 (4/?), 05 (1/?), 06 (5/659), 07 (6/641), 08 (8/614), 09 (4/560), 10 (3/544), 11 (7/542), 12 (5/437), 13 (7/430), 14 (8/356), 15 (8/348)
McHenry (3 of 4 core CWD counties)
CWD cases/deer harvested
03 (2/?), 04 (2/?), 05 (4/?), 06 (4/1254), 07 (4/1265), 08 (0/1267), 09 (4/1070), 10 (3/1140), 11 (3/948), 12 (3/989), 13 3/1066), 14 (7/897), 15 (6/960)
Winnebago (4 of 4 core CWD counties)
CWD cases/deer harvested
03 (3/?), 04 (20/?), 05 (13/?), 06 (24/1254), 07 (17/1121), 08 (18/1086), 09 (12/1038), 10 (16/1139), 11 (10/943), 12 (7/925), 13 (5/1033),
14 (13/860), 15 (18/912)