Chronic Wasting Disease — What to know this fall

As hunters prepare for deer and elk seasons in northern Big Horn County and the Big Horn Mountains, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) is urging participation in chronic wasting disease (CWD) sampling and reminding hunters about recent habitat changes caused by wildfire.

CWD is a fatal neurological disease that affects deer, elk and moose. Because animals may look healthy even when infected, testing is the only way to know if a harvested animal carries the disease.

This season, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department is focusing surveillance on the northern Big Horn Mountains elk herd (Hunt Areas 35, 36, 37, 39, 40). Hunters in Big Horn County are strongly encouraged to submit samples from all animals and areas, even though testing is voluntary in these areas.

In neighboring Washakie County, however, testing is mandatory for deer hunters with Type 1 and Type 7 licenses in Hunt Area 164. Game and Fish officials emphasize that widespread testing is the best way to track the disease and, ultimately, work toward reducing its spread. Their goal is to collect samples from as many harvested deer as possible to better understand and manage chronic wasting disease in the region.

What a CWD-infected animal may look like

Deer, elk and moose infected with chronic wasting disease often look healthy for months, but as the illness advances, warning signs become more noticeable. Infected animals may show extreme weight loss, appearing gaunt with ribs and hips visible. Their head and ears may droop as if they are weak or tired, and excessive drooling or wet patches on the chest are common. Sick animals may also act abnormally, showing little fear of people, standing in the open or appearing confused and uncoordinated. Many stagger or stand with a wide stance, while others develop a dull, patchy coat that looks rough and unhealthy.

By the time these symptoms show, the disease is usually in its late stages. Many infected animals look healthy when harvested, which is why testing is the only reliable way to know if a deer or elk has CWD.

It is strongly recommended that hunters do not shoot animals showing advanced signs of CWD. Instead, they should notify nearby hunters and promptly report the sick animal to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.

If a hunter, landowner or hiker sees a deer, elk or moose that appears sickly or is showing unusual behavior, it should be reported right away to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.

In Big Horn County, reports can be made through the Cody Regional Office (307-527-7125) or the Sheridan Regional Office (307-672-7418).

Outside business hours, you can also use the STOP Poaching Hotline (1-877-943-3847) or file a report through the WGFD website at wgfd.wyo.gov. Provide as much detail as possible: species, location (GPS if available), behavior and time of observation.

Game and Fish biologists may collect tissue samples or remove the animal if needed. Reporting helps track the spread of chronic wasting disease and protects Wyoming’s big game herds.

Eating prohibitions

Hunters often ask whether it is safe to eat meat from an animal infected with chronic wasting disease (CWD). The answer is simple: no.

Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization strongly advise against consuming meat from infected deer, elk or moose. While there has never been a confirmed case of CWD spreading to humans, it belongs to the same family of illnesses as mad cow disease, and experts say the risk cannot be ruled out.

Prions, the misfolded proteins that cause the disease, are found mainly in the brain, spinal cord, lymph nodes, eyes, spleen and tonsils. However, muscle tissue may still carry contamination, which is why meat from a positive animal should never be eaten.

What hunters should do

How to submit a deer head for CWD testing:

Leave the whole head at a Game and Fish CWD sampling station.

Be sure there are at least 4–6 inches of neck attached.

You may keep the antlers or skull cap if you want.

Do not freeze the head before dropping it off.

Biologists will remove the needed samples (lymph nodes/brainstem) for testing.

Hunters are urged to have their harvest tested for CWD and to wait for results before eating the meat. Results are usually available within about three weeks. If an animal tests positive, carcasses should be disposed of at approved landfills, not left on the landscape, to reduce the chance of spreading the disease.

As the Wyoming Game and Fish Department notes, hunters are the front line in disease monitoring. Submitting samples not only protects families and communities but also helps safeguard the future of Wyoming’s big game herds.