Advice to Hunters Concerning Chronic Wasting Disease

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a naturally occurring disease of the brain and nervous system in deer, elk, and moose (cervids).  CWD belongs to the family of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) that attacks the brain of cervids, producing small lesions that eventually result in death.  Concerns over CWD shouldn’t stop you from enjoying the hunting season.  CWD has not been found in Maryland and has not been shown to be transmissible to humans.  However, hunters field-dressing or butchering deer should take the same precautions as they might to protect against other pathogens or diseases.

The following common-sense precautionary measures are recommended for the safe handling, field-dressing and home processing of venison:

• Avoid shooting or handling a deer that appears sick.
• Wear latex or rubber gloves when field-dressing or butchering deer.
• Remove all internal organs.
• Bone the deer (remove the meat from the bones and spinal column).
• Do not use household knives or utensils.
• Avoid cutting through bones or the spinal column (backbone).
• Never eat a deer’s brain, eyeballs, spinal cord, spleen, or lymph nodes.
• If you saw off antlers or through a bone, or if you sever the spinal column with a knife, be sure to disinfect these tools prior to using them for the butchering or removal of meat.
• Remove all fat, membranes and connective tissue from the meat. Note that normal field-dressing and trimming of fat from meat will remove lymph nodes.
• Always wash hands and instruments thoroughly after dressing and processing game meat.
• Use a 50/50 solution of household chlorine bleach and water to disinfect tools and work surfaces. Wipe down counters and let them dry; soak knives for one hour.

If you hunt deer, elk, moose or other cervids in other states and/or provinces, particularly those in which CWD has been detected, check with the respective fish and wildlife agencies regarding special regulations or specific advice for hunters.  Also check with your home state fish and wildlife agency to ensure that animals lawfully killed elsewhere may be imported and possessed in your state.  Additional information can be found at the CWD alliance website www.cwd-info.org/ and the Maryland DNR website www.dnr.maryland.gov.

A person may bring only the following parts of a dead deer, elk, or moose into Maryland from a containment area indicated as positive for chronic wasting disease in free ranging or captive cervids:

1. meat with no part of the spinal column or head attached;
2. meat without backbone;
3. cleaned hide with no head attached;
4. skull plate cleaned of all meat and brain tissue;
5. antlers with no meat or soft tissue attached;
6. upper canine teeth, also known as buglers, whistlers, or ivories; and
7. finished taxidermy mount or tanned hide.

The Department will maintain a list of CWD positive states and contact numbers to call to confirm the containment areas in those states that are subject to these restrictions.  The list is available on the DNR website (http://www.dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/cwdinformation.html) or by calling 410-260-8540.

Any person who imports or possesses a cervid carcass or part of a cervid that was tested for chronic wasting disease in another state or province and is notified that the cervid tested positive, must report the test results to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources within 24 hours of receiving such notification - by telephone at 301-842-0332; or by FAX 301-842-1026; or by email to beyler@dnr.state.md.us.

Travelers may pass through Maryland with cervid carcasses, provided that no parts are disposed of or remain in the state.