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[Todd]

Hunters Urged To Help Protect Montana’s Wild Elk And Deer From CWD

October 03, 2007

Montanans who plan to travel out-of-state or to Canada to hunt deer, elk and moose should know that it is now illegal to bring heads and spinal cords from harvested game animals back with them from a state that is known to have CWD in either wild animals or game farm animals.

Bring home only:

- meat that is boned, cut and wrapped or quarters or other portions of meat with no part of the spinal column or head attached,
- hides with no heads attached,
- clean (no meat or tissue attached) skull plates with antlers attached,
- antlers with no meat or tissue attached,
- upper canine teeth, also known as "buglers", "whistlers" or "ivories,"
- finished head, partial body or whole body mounts already prepared by a taxidermist.

States or Provinces where CWD is confirmed in wild deer, elk or moose include Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, South Dakota, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming and the Provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta, Canada. CWD has also been found in privately owned animals, such as alternative livestock, in Montana, Oklahoma, and Minnesota. Because CWD was detected in privately owned elk in Montana, some states or provinces also have game-export regulations that those harvesting animals in Montana must follow.

In addition, all Montana hunters and meat processors are advised to properly dispose of waste carcass parts, including heads and spinal columns, from all harvested deer, elk, or moose by sealing them in plastic bags and depositing them in a waste facility known to transport waste to a sanitary landfill. These measures are intended to prevent the introduction of CWD to Montana, or the spread of CWD if it is found in Montana.

CWD is a rare brain disease that causes infected deer and elk to lose weight and body functions, behave abnormally and eventually die. The ailment belongs to a family of diseases that include mad cow disease in cattle, scrapie in sheep and Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) in humans.

Public health officials have found no link between CWD in deer and elk and disease in humans and say there is no evidence that CWD can be naturally transmitted to humans. Scientific studies however, are still in progress to determine if CWD poses any risk to human health.
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