HELENA — Hunters headed to the field this fall should be aware of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Park’s ongoing chronic wasting disease management (CWD), and how it may impact their hunts.
FWP needs hunters help this fall to fight CWD which is a deadly disease of deer, elk and moose known to exist in areas called CWD management zones.
To prevent the spread of CWD, the whole carcass, whole head, brain, or spinal column from any deer, elk, or moose harvested within a CWD management zone may not be removed from that management zone unless the animal has tested negative for CWD.
If you harvest an animal within one of these zones, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends getting your animal tested for CWD before eating it.
Hunters can collect their own sample and send to the FWP lab in Bozeman or visit a FWP regional office during the big game season. FWP will also have additional sampling areas in the state where hunters who stop at check stations may be asked to test their animal.
CWD management zones have been set up in the Libby area as well as much of the Hi Line and southeastern Montana around Billings.
Animal parts that can be removed from a CWD management zone include:
- Meat cut and wrapped or separated from the bone
- Hides with no heads attached
- Quarters or parts with no spine or head attached
- Skull plates, antlers, or skulls with no tissue
More information about CWD can be found on FWP's website.
