Successful or not, hunters and anglers must stop at check stations

Check stations are an opportunity for Fish and Game staff to talk to thousands of hunters and see thousands of harvested animals. The goal is for Fish and Game personnel to get information and learn what's happening in the field and also answer questions, collect samples for chronic wasting disease, and then quickly get folks back on their way. 

If you didn't harvest any game, staff will ask you some questions and then, boom, you're done. But remember you still have to stop, and you can be cited for bypassing a check station. 

If you have harvested game, Fish and Game staff will want to look at the animal—as well as your license and tag. In the interest of saving you and everyone else's time, keep your animal in an easily accessible spot. It only takes a few minutes to collect all the needed data. 

Most check stations are “management stations” where the main goal is to collect data from harvested animals. You will typically see these in the same places year after year. You may also see an enforcement check station, which are unannounced and in different locations.

CWD Sample Collection

Idaho Fish and Game officials remind hunters about special chronic wasting disease rules to help test for and manage the disease. Hunters are encouraged to get their deer, elk, or moose tested for CWD, except in the following hunting units where testing is mandatory:

• Unit 1 
• Unit 14
• Unit 18
• Unit 23
• Unit 24
• Unit 32A

After three white-tailed deer tested positive for chronic wasting disease near Bonners Ferry, Fish and Game recently added a portion of Unit 1 within Boundary County and east of the Selkirk Mountains crest in the Panhandle Region as a new CWD Management Zone.  

Deer hunters have mandatory CWD testing for six hunting units (shown above), including a portion of Unit 1 in the Panhandle and in central Idaho along the U.S. 95/Highway 55 corridors south of Grangeville. Elk and moose are exempt from mandatory testing in 2024. 

Unit 14 and Unit 18 and a portion of Unit 1 comprise the CWD Management Zone for 2024. CWD testing is mandatory for all harvested deer in those units. Unit 15 was removed from the CWD Management Zone after extensive testing showed no animals testing positive for CWD. 

After a mule deer buck tested positive in Unit 23 last fall, CWD testing is mandatory in Units 23, 24, and 32A for all mule deer and white-tailed deer, but does not apply to elk and moose taken those units. Units 23, 24, and 32A are not within the CWD Management Zone, so carcass transportation restrictions do not apply.

“The ultimate goal is to slow, or prevent, the spread of CWD because it will negatively affect the deer populations and hunting opportunities,” Fish and Game’s State Wildlife Manager Rick Ward said. “We want to keep CWD out of units where it’s not present, but we can’t do that if we don’t know exactly where the disease is located.” 

Hunters play a critical role in CWD testing because there is no live test for the disease, and getting accurate and current information requires annual testing statewide. Active and adaptive CWD management that keeps the number of infected animals low typically results in reduced spread, fewer sick animals and more healthy deer available for hunters.

Common violations to avoid

Year after year, Fish and Game staff working check stations see repeated mistakes, which may result in a reminder, a written warning, or possibly even a citation. Hunters can avoid that situation by brushing up on these common violations: 

Failure to properly validate your tag

Make sure the notches for the correct day and month are fully removed from your tag immediately after you harvest the animal. Again, completely notch the tag. A slice through the day and date won't cut it. 

If the animal is intact, the tag can be placed on the antlers. But if it's already been quartered, the tag must be attached to the largest portion of the meat (along with evidence of sex) until it is processed and reaches the place of final storage or consumption. 

Now take note, hunters: If you’re in a CWD Management Zone, there are rules for whole carcasses, so the tag would need to be placed on the largest portion of the meat.

Failure to have a proxy statement 

One is issued with your tag, and if you’re transporting game for someone else, you must have a proxy statement. Proxy statements are also available on page 101 in the 2024 Big Game Seasons and Rules booklet, along with other important rules.  

Maintain proof of species 

In seasons restricted to mule deer or white-tailed deer only, proof of species must remain naturally attached, as demonstrated in this informational video. If you remove the head, you must leave the fully-haired tail attached.

Failure to keep evidence of sex 

Even in either-sex hunts, the head or other evidence of sex needs to be naturally attached to the carcass until you get it home. In hunts with antler-point restrictions, the antlers must accompany the carcass. For more information about preserving evidence of sex see page 101 of the 2024 Big Game Seasons and Rules booklet.