Oregon Hunters Urged to Follow Rules to Prevent Disease

Oregon Hunters Urged to Follow Rules to Prevent Disease

Published 08/27/2010

(Salem, Oregon) - As hunting season opens in states where Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) has been detected, ODFW reminds hunters traveling to other states that it is illegal to bring any deer, elk or moose part containing central nervous system tissue into Oregon from states or Canadian provinces with a documented case of CWD.

Oregon is currently a CWD-free state. Hunters play a key role in keeping that status by following the import ban on central nervous system tissue and by allowing biologists to check for the disease by taking brain and tissue samples from big game harvested in Oregon.

Hunters bringing any deer, elk or moose part containing central nervous system tissue into Oregon from states or Canadian provinces known to have CWD are subject to citation.

CWD has been detected in the following states so the import ban into Oregon applies: Montana, Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, Utah, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, North Dakota, South Dakota, Illinois, Missouri, Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, New York, West Virginia, Virginia, and the Canadian provinces of Albert and Saskatchewan.

The following parts may still be imported from those states and provinces with a documented case of CWD: meat cut and wrapped commercially or privately; meat that has been boned out; quarters or other portions of meat with no part of the spinal column or head attached; hides or capes with no head attached; skull plates with antlers attached that have been cleaned of all meat and brain tissue (velvet antlers allowed); antlers with no tissue attached (velvet antlers allowed); upper canine teeth (buglers, whistlers and ivories); and finished taxidermy heads.

As usual, sampling stations will be open in Prineville and Biggs during mule deer buck season in October and during the first Rocky Mountain elk bull season. Sampling is also done in the field by ODFW biologists during hunter checks.

 About Chronic Wasting Disease

CWD is untreatable, damaging the brain of infected deer, elk and moose and typically causing progressive loss of body condition. The disease is always fatal to these animals, and no state or province with documented cases of CWD has been able to eradicate it.

The prions that cause CWD can last a long time in the environment. If the head and spinal column of an infected animal is disposed of in areas where Oregon’s deer and elk could encounter the prions, they could contract the disease.

No evidence has been found to suggest CWD can be transmitted to people, but hunters should take precautions when hunting and dressing game. Hunters should avoid harvesting any animal that appears sick or has unusual behavior. Disposable gloves should be worn when dressing game and meat should be cooked to 165 degrees.