Chronic Wasting Disease
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is
a transmissible neurological disease that is always fatal to animals in the
deer family. Currently, CWD is found in
25 states and provinces, but thankfully not in Nevada. To limit the spread of Chronic Wasting
Disease (CWD), 40 states and 7 Canadian provinces have implemented restrictions
on the importation of portions of harvested deer, elk, and moose that can be brought
into their states. During the 2019
legislative session, Nevada also adopted statutory restrictions on importing portions
of harvested animals as well.
The new statute, Senate Bill 85, will influence
what you can legally bring back into our state. Because you have drawn a tag to
hunt elk, deer, or moose in a neighboring state, we wanted to be sure that you
were aware of this new statute. You may
still bring in the meat, skull cap, antlers, and cape, but you need to pay
close attention to how this can be done.
It is now unlawful
for you, your agent, or employee to knowingly bring into Nevada or possess the
carcass or any part of the carcass of any elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer,
moose, reindeer, caribou, or fallow deer which were obtained in another state,
territory or country, EXCEPT
It is lawful for
you, your agent, or employee to bring into Nevada the following parts of the
carcass of any of the animals listed above
Wrapped meat or quarters, with no part of
the spinal column, brain tissue, or head attached.
The hide or cape with no part of the
spinal column, brain tissue, or head attached.
The clean skull plate with antlers
attached and no brain tissue attached.
The antlers with no meat or tissue other
than antler velvet attached.
The taxidermy mount with no meat or tissue
other than antler velvet attached.
The upper canine teeth including, without
limitation, the bugler, whistler, and ivory teeth.
Please help us to keep Nevada CWD
free by following these regulations.
What Is CWD?
CWD is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) that is found in deer and elk. It is believed to be caused by a mutated protein, called a prion that attaches to, and transforms healthy brain proteins into disfigured mutations that lead to a deterioration of the brain, and ultimately death of the animal.
CWD is similar but different from scrapie (a disease found in domestic sheep), Bovine Sponfigorm Encephalitis (also referred to as "mad cow" disease) and Creutzfeld-Jakob disease (a TSE found in humans.) While similar to these diseases, there is no known causal link between CWD and other TSEs of animals or people. There is currently no evidence to indicate that CWD can be transmitted from elk and deer to livestock or humans.
Signs of an Infected Game Animal
Clinical signs of CWD include stumbling, poor body condition, excessive drinking and salivation and difficulty running. If you observe such signs, please report the sighting to your nearest NDOW office. Learn how you can help.
Sampling Efforts and Check Stations
To date, we have not detected CWD in Nevada, and the closest state to detect the disease in wild deer herds is Utah. However, sampling efforts in the state are ongoing, and your assistance can help us ensure that we detect it early and limit its spread!
In an effort to test for the
presence of CWD and to quickly control the disease if it is introduced, the Nevada Department of
Wildlife (NDOW) operates physical inspections for hunter
harvested bucks and adult elk of either sex. We are interested in
testing animals from the following hunt units:
All of Areas: 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 13, 22, 23, 24, 27, and Unit
121.
You can ask your taxidermist or meat processor to take a sample
and submit it for you, come to one of our convenient check stations (schedule
below) or contact your local NDOW office. We thank you for your help in
conserving Nevada’s wildlife!
DATES
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TIMES
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LOCATION
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Saturday, October 10
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noon -6:00
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Loves Gas Station, Wells, NV
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Sunday, October 11
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8:00 -6:00
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Loves Gas Station, Wells, NV
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Monday, October 12
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8:00 -6:00
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Loves Gas Station, Wells, NV
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|
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Saturday, October 10
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noon - 6:00
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Loves Gas Station, Ely, NV
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Sunday, October 11
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8:00 - 6:00
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Loves Gas Station, Ely, NV
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Monday, October 12
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8:00 - 6:00
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Loves Gas Station, Ely, NV
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Saturday, October 17
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8:00 - 6:00
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Loves Gas Station, Wells, NV
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Sunday, October 18
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8:00 - 6:00
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Loves Gas Station, Wells, NV
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|
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Saturday, October 17
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8:00 - 6:00
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Ash Springs, NV
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Sunday, October 18
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8:00 - 6:00
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Ash Springs, NV
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Friday, October 23
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8:00 - 6:00
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Loves Gas Station, Ely, NV
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Saturday, October 24
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8:00 - 6:00
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Loves Gas Station, Ely, NV
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Sunday, October 25
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8:00 - 6:00
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Loves Gas Station, Ely, NV
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Friday, October 30
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10:00 -6:00
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Loves Gas Station, Wells, NV
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Saturday, October 31
|
8:00 -6:00
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Loves Gas Station, Wells, NV
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Sunday, November 1
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8:00 -6:00
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Loves Gas Station, Wells, NV
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|
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Friday, October 30
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10:00 - 6:00
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Loves Gas Station, Ely, NV
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Saturday, October 31
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8:00 - 6:00
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Loves Gas Station, Ely, NV
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Sunday, November 1
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8:00 - 6:00
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Loves Gas Station, Ely, NV
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Sample collection takes about 5
minutes and will not affect the antlers or meat. If you are planning to have a taxidermist
mount your animal, you may ask the taxidermist to submit the sample for you.
Biologists are keeping a close eye on population numbers and will continue to analyze samples by deer and elk game management units. NDOW will be collecting both CWD samples from these animals as well as other biological data that will help us to better understand body conditions of mule deer and potential limiting factors for the population.
How You Can Help
Your observations of animals showing possible signs of CWD are extremely valuable to NDOW biologists in the effort to monitor CWD status in Nevada. Clinical signs of CWD include stumbling, poor body condition, excessive drinking and salivation and difficulty running. If you observe such signs, please report the sighting to your nearest NDOW office or to the Operation Game Thief number listed below.
Hunters who would like to donate a sample from their deer or elk for Nevada’s CWD sampling effort may do so by stopping at one of the check stations listed above, or by calling an NDOW office to schedule an appointment. See the 2020 big game harvest check-in procedure here.
Carcass Disposal:
As a preventative measure in Nevada, if the deer or elk carcass is brought out of the field, the best practice to dispose of the carcass is to bury the head and spinal cord, or dispose of it an approved landfill closest to your location. Please see list of approved landfills. If you harvest an animal in another state, please follow that state's CWD disposal guidelines.
Operation Game Thief
1-800-992-3030
Elko
Nevada Department of Wildlife - Eastern Region
60 Youth Center Road
Elko, Nevada 89801
Phone (775) 777-2300
Elko
Nevada Department of Agriculture
4780 E. Idaho St.
Elko, Nevada 89801
Phone (775) 738-8076
Ely
Nevada Department of Wildlife - Ely Field Office
1218 North Alpha Road
Ely, Nevada 89301
Phone (775) 289-1655 (Please call first)
Reno
Nevada Department of Wildlife
1100 Valley Road
Reno, Nevada 89512
Phone (775) 688-1500
Winnemucca
Nevada Department of Wildlife - Winnemucca Field Office
815 East Fourth Street
Winnemucca, Nevada 89445
Phone (775) 623-6565 (Please call first)
Panaca
Nevada Department of Wildlife - Panaca Field Office
333 Cathedral Gorge Road
Panaca, Nevada 89042
Phone (775) 728-4233 (Please call first)
Reports
CWD Report
