Special Chronic Wasting Disease Rules

Special Chronic Wasting Disease Rules for the 2024-2025 hunting season

CWD Management Zone Rules (GMUs 14 and 18)

• CWD testing of all hunter-harvested mule deer and white-tailed deer from GMUs 14 and 18 is mandatory.
• It is unlawful to transport any carcass or part of a deer, elk, or moose out of GMUs 14 and 18.
  except for:
  • Heads or lymph nodes transported to IDFG for CWD sampling. If desired, hunters may keep antlers or skull caps after sampling by IDFG staff, but the remainder of the head will remain with IDFG for proper disposal.
  • Carcass parts listed as exceptions in the Carcass Transport section below.
• Heads should remain in the field if lymph nodes are removed by the hunter for delivery to IDFG for CWD testing.
• Caped animals (with the skull) may be taken to a taxidermist or meat processor but may not leave GMUs 14 or 18 and must still be presented to IDFG staff for sampling.
• Samples must be submitted within 10 days of harvest.
• If hunters leave the field with quarters, they should double bag all bones and nonedible portions of the animal and dispose of them in a landfill when finished processing the meat.
• It is unlawful to feed deer and elk in designated CWD management zones.

GMUs outside of the CWD Management Zone with mandatory CWD testing for deer (GMUs 23, 24, and 32A)

• Beginning with the 2024 hunting season, CWD testing of all hunter-harvested mule deer and white-tailed deer from GMUs 23, 24, and 32A is mandatory.
• GMUs 23, 24, and 32A are not currently part of a CWD Management Zone and the other rules associated with a CWD Management Zone do not apply in these GMUs.

Carcass transport

• Whole carcasses of harvested deer, elk, and moose may not be transported out of a CWD Management Zone.
• Animals must be quartered with spine left in the field (tail and evidence of sex attached to quarters). Head should remain in the field if lymph nodes have been removed for CWD testing.
• It is illegal to possess or transport a full carcass or any part of a deer, elk, or moose taken from GMUs 14 or 18 in any part of the state outside of these GMUs except for the following exceptions for meat and some other parts:
  • Head to take to IDFG for sampling.
  • Meat that is cut and wrapped
  • Quarters or deboned meat that does not include brain or spinal tissue
  • Edible organs that do not include brains
  • Hides without heads
  • Upper canine teeth (ivories)
  • Finished taxidermy
  • Dried antlers
  • Cleaned and dried skulls or skull caps
  • Skull caps that do not include brain or spinal tissue
  • Domestic cervids