Hunters Need to be Aware of CWD Regs

Photo by John E. Phillips

Hunters can help keep Chronic Wasting Disease out of N.C.’s deer herd by following some simple rules before transporting cervid body parts from other states.

The N. C. Wildlife Resources Commission asks those who hunt in other states to help prevent Chronic Wasting Disease from infiltrating North Carolina’s deer population.

Currently there is no known incidence of CWD in North Carolina, but it can be imported. Hunters harvesting deer, elk, or moose from states or provinces with CWD should be aware there are restrictions on carcass parts that can be imported into North Carolina.

Only the following deer, elk, or moose carcass parts harvested in states or provinces with CWD are allowed into North Carolina:
• Meat that is cut and wrapped.
• Quarters or other portions of meat with no part of the spinal column or head attached.
• Meat that has been boned out.
• Caped hides.
• Cleaned skull plates.
• Antlers.
• Cleaned teeth.
• Finished taxidermy products.

These carcass parts or their containers must be labeled with the hunter’s name and address, state or province of origin, date the animal was killed, the hunter’s out-of-state hunting license number and the destination of the carcass parts or containers.

States with documented cases of CWD include Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. 

CWD also has been documented in the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Visit the CWD Alliance Web site at http://www.cwd-info.org/ for more information on chronic wasting disease.