GREAT FALLS — The threat of chronic wasting disease (CWD) looms over both the deer population and those who consume venison as Montana heads into hunting season.
CWD, a fatal brain disease similar to Mad Cow Disease, affects deer, elk, and other cervids. To track its spread and mitigate risks, the Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks (FWP) is asking hunters for help.
According to TJ Allderdice, Region 4 CWD Coordinator for FWP, the agency relies on hunters to provide crucial data.
"We're trying to get good numbers on where this disease is at in our state. So the only way we can do that is with hunters' participation," Allderdice explains.
Hunters are encouraged to bring deer heads to FWP locations, where wildlife biologists collect samples from the retropharyngeal lymph nodes — an area where the disease-causing prions often appear first.
In recent years, FWP has consistently detected CWD-positive cases, underscoring the importance of these efforts.
Of the 178 samples tested in Region 4, four deer have tested positive, including three mule deer bucks and one whitetail buck, all from District 400. Without hunter participation, FWP cannot fully assess the disease’s spread or take steps to protect the deer population.
While there is no evidence that CWD is transmissible to humans, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises against consuming meat from infected deer.
Hunters who receive a positive CWD test result can turn in their deer and receive a new tag.
Allderdice cautions, "CDC recommends if your deer is positive, turn it in. You can get a new tag. But they say not to eat it."
FWP also advises hunters to dispose of deer remains properly, either by leaving the carcass at the harvest site or using a Class II landfill. This helps limit the spread of prions, which are found in the spinal and brain tissue of infected animals and can persist in the environment.
With hunter participation, FWP can continue to monitor CWD in Montana's cervid populations and provide timely information to ensure the safety of local communities.
Hunters are encouraged to visit FWP's website or contact a regional office for more information on testing locations and protocols.
For more information on CWD collection within FWP Region 4, contact TJ Allderdice at 406-301-2058 or tj.allderdice@mt.gov.
