CWD positives reported across the state, no new areas
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News from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Park
MONTANA — In early October, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks was notified of 18 deer from across the state that tested positive for chronic wasting disease.
The positive deer all come from areas where CWD was previously known to exist, including hunting districts in Madison, Liberty, Daniels and Gallatin counties. All but two of the deer were hunter-harvested animals. All but one were white-tailed deer.
The samples were tested at the Montana Veterinary Diagnostic Lab in Bozeman. This year FWP will use this laboratory as the primary testing facility. Hunters who submit samples should have results back within three weeks.
Results will be posted online, as in past years. Hunters will be notified directly if they have a positive animal.
The positive deer came from the following hunting districts: 322, 309, 640 and 401.
CWD is a contagious neurological disease that infects deer, elk and moose. It is always fatal and there is no known cure. It was first found in Montana in 2017.
It is not known to infect humans, but it is strongly recommended that people not eat meat from infected animals and to have their harvested animals tested before eating them if they were taken from an area where CWD is known to exist.
FWP is continuing CWD surveillance this year in priority surveillance areas located in northwest, southwest and eastern Montana. Hunters who harvest deer, elk or moose in these areas are asked to voluntarily submit a sample from their animal to help gather additional data for that area. This information will be used to help inform the best management strategies for the affected hunting districts.
FWP will cover the cost of testing hunter-harvested animals for CWD. Hunters should look online for information on how to take a sample themselves and submit it for testing or bring animals by an FWP regional office for sampling. FWP will have CWD check stations in the priority surveillance areas.
Sample submission is voluntary throughout Montana. For more information on these surveillance areas and how to submit samples for testing, visit fwp.mt.gov/cwd.
