|
Washington’s first case of chronic wasting disease (CWD) was confirmed in Spokane County, Game Management Unit (GMU) 124 in July 2024. CWD is a fatal disease of cervids, which are deer, elk, and moose in Washington. Most animals with CWD appear normal until the end stages of the disease and it is important to test harvested cervids to monitor and manage this outbreak.
WDFW encourages all hunters to have their deer, elk, or moose tested for CWD. Please be aware of new rules that minimize transmission to healthy animals and prevent the spread of CWD to other areas of the state:
- If you harvest a deer, elk, or moose in GMUs 124, 127, or 130, you are required to submit to WDFW the whole head with at least three inches of neck attached, or extracted lymph nodes, within three days of harvesting for CWD testing. Visit the website for videos on how to extract lymph nodes.
- In GMUs 124, 127, and 130, it is unlawful to hunt deer, elk, or moose using:
- Any type of bait placed, exposed, deposited, distributed, scattered, or otherwise used for the purpose of attracting with the intent to hunt these animals,
- Natural or synthetic scents that contain or are derived from cervid urine and glandular extracts.
- If you harvest a deer, elk, or moose in any of the 100 series GMUs, only the following items may be transported to areas outside of the 100 series GMUs:
- Meat that has been de-boned in the state or province where it was harvested and is imported as boned-out meat,
- Skulls and antlers (with velvet removed), antlers attached to the skull plate, or upper canine teeth (bugler, whistlers, ivories) from which all soft tissue has been removed,
- Hides or capes without heads attached,
- Tissue imported for use by a diagnostic or research laboratory,
- Finished taxidermy mounts.
To voluntarily or fulfill mandatory CWD testing requirements, you will find information on how to collect, submit, and dispose of inedible carcass parts properly at wdfw.wa.gov/cwd. Click on the link to the CWD surveillance program page. You can find locations for head drop-off kiosks, landfills, and check stations using the interactive map. Be aware that this map is being updated frequently with new information. If you wish to keep the head, do not use a drop-off kiosk; use one of the other methods for submitting a sample.
Test results typically take 4-6 weeks. You can look up results using the online lookup tool and your WILD ID. If your animal is positive for CWD, WDFW will notify you and assist with disposal if you do not wish to consume the meat.
If you are notified by another state or provincial fish and wildlife agency that the animal you have harvested has tested positive for CWD, you have 24 hours to notify WDFW. WDFW will assist with disposal of any meat or parts not consumed.
Health and Human Safety
CWD has not been shown to infect people, but research is still ongoing, and it is not known for certain if people can get infected with this disease. While CWD has not been associated with human disease, there is a theoretical risk to people who eat an infected animal. As a precaution, the Washington State Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that people do not eat any animal that tests positive for CWD or appears to have CWD. WDFW and DOH also advise hunters to:
- Avoid harvesting any animal that appears sick or behaves strangely.
- Wear eye protection and disposable gloves while field dressing game.
- Thoroughly wash hands and equipment after processing carcasses.
- Minimize handling parts where the CWD prions accumulate including brain, spinal cord, eyes, spleen, pancreas, tonsils, and lymph nodes.
- Avoid cutting through bone, brain, or spinal cord.
- Disinfect processing tools by soaking in household bleach (>2% free chlorine) at a 40% solution (with water) for a minimum of 5 minutes. Remove any tissue pieces from tools before soaking and rinse tools after soaking.
- Safely discard inedible parts and any positive meat using one of the recommended methods listed on the WDFW website. Tissues from CWD-positive animals can contaminate the environment and infect other cervids. Do not dispose of infected materials on the landscape or feed to pets.
|
