As hunting season gets underway, Idaho Fish and Game is raising awareness about chronic wasting disease; an infectious, incurable and fatal disease that affects deer, elk, and moose that was first detected in Idaho in 2021.
Governor Brad Little has proclaimed Sept. 11-18 as Chronic Wasting Disease Awareness Week to encourage hunters to provide samples for testing and know the specific rules that are in place to minimize the spread of the disease in Idaho.
CWD was first detected in game management Unit 14 in between Whitebird and Riggins, and a CWD Management Zone is designated for Units 14 and 15. In a Management Zone, special hunting rules are in effect, including mandatory CWD testing of all harvested deer, elk, and moose and restrictions on what parts of the animal can and cannot be transported out of those units.
So far, 49 total animals have tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease in Idaho, all within game management Unit 14.
Hunting in Units 14 and 15
Hunters must have all harvested deer, elk, and moose tested for CWD. The following are rules and requirements for hunting in game management Units 14 and 15:
- Whole carcasses of harvested deer, elk, and moose may not be transported out of the CWD Management Zone.
- Animals must be quartered with spine left in the field (tail and evidence of sex attached to quarters). Heads should remain in the field if lymph nodes have been removed for CWD testing.
- All heads removed from the kill site must be brought to a Fish and Game regional office or designated designated drop-off locations for CWD sampling.
- Lymph node samples and heads can be dropped off at Fish and Game regional offices or designated drop-off locations.
- Samples collected by hunters must be submitted within 10 days of harvest.
- Hunters may keep antlers, but heads will not be returned to hunters after sampling.
- Dumpsters are available to properly dispose of inedible remains of deer, elk, and moose after butchering.
