MADISON, Wis. -- Wisconsin is the hotbed for a federal investigation on a possible link between a rare human brain disease and contaminated deer and elk meat.

CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE VIDEO CDC Investigating Meat Eaters' Deaths Second Hunt: 'We Don't Know What's Going To Happen' Opposition going into active-resistance mode "It's like CWD fever ... " "The need to pick up pace is threefold" DNR: "Very, very serious" Elk farmer: "Don't panic" " .... one heck of an animal health crisis ... " RESOURCES DNR RESOURCE PAGE DISCUSSION Are you worried? CHAT TRANSCIPT Julie Langenberg of the DNR

The investigation centers on three friends who attended the same wild game dinners 20 years ago.

Video

Federal investigators are in Wisconsin, trying to find out if there's a link between chronic wasting disease and the deaths of three Wisconsin men. See pictures of men

The Centers for Disease Control got involved at the request of the state, but the investigator cautions the two-week investigation is only one piece of a very complicated puzzle.

Wayne Waterhouse of Chetek used to host the wild game dinners at his cabin near Superior. He died of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, which is in the same family of diseases as chronic wasting disease.

So did his friend, James Botts, 55, of Blaine, Minn. Roger Marten, 66, of Mondovi, Wis. reportedly died of Pick's disease, which is often confused with CJD.

The federal health investigator is checking to see if contaminated deer and elk meat may have been served at these dinners.

"The statistical probability that three men that knew each other in this relatively small group, the probability of that could happen by chance alone is very, very small," said Dr. Vince Hsu of the CDC.

Hsu said he doubts the CWD found in Wisconsin deer will be definitively linked to CJD through this investigation.

A state health official characterizes the probe as just one step in a long scientific process, but the investigator does have tissue samples taken during the autopsies of all three men. They will get a second look at the CDC.

For more information about Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, go online to CJD Voice. The site includes litigation resources, symptoms and victim support.