In February, a whitetail buck from the Mississippi Delta tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD). It is the first known case in the Southeast, and state wildlife agencies have ramped up efforts to inform the public as a first line of defense against the continued spread of CWD.
CWD, found in cervids including deer, elk, moose and reindeer, is a contagious neurological disease that causes severe brain degeneration in infected animals. It is always fatal. CWD has now been found in 24 states and is shown to be devastating to whitetail deer herds in some western states where the disease is most prevalent.
The threat of CWD has spurred all Southeastern states to enact preventative regulations over the last two decades. Compliance with those regulations and awareness of the disease are crucial to slowing its spread and containing it where it has already been found.
For hunters transporting their kills from CWD infected areas, deer, elk and moose should be skinned and boned out. Deboned meat should be packed in coolers. Skulls kept for mounting must be cleaned so that no meat or tissue remains. Almost all states have similar laws regarding transportation of cervid carcasses across state lines, but they vary. Check state regulations before packing your harvest and hitting the road.