November 7, 2007


Because the movement of animals is evidenced as one of the greatest risk factors associated with the spread of CWD into new areas, resident hunters traveling abroad should note the following:

·Importation of any live cervid is prohibited.

·Importation of any whole cervid carcass or carcass parts from any state with a documented CWD case is prohibited except: boned-out meat; commercially processed meat; meat with no part of the spinal column or head attached; clean skull plates with antlers attached; clean antlers; finished taxidermy heads; and clean upper canines (buglers, whistlers, ivories).

The 14 states and two Canadian provinces where CWD has been detected are Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming and the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta.

Since 1998, WRD has been testing suspect and hunter-harvested deer for evidence of CWD. To date, more than 3,000 deer have been tested with no confirmed positives. The nearest state to Georgia with a confirmed case of CWD is West Virginia. Georgia hunters should be aware of the important role they play in the collective effort to help minimize the potential introduction of CWD into Georgia’s high-quality deer herd. Please help protect your state and resource by reporting the illegal importation of any deer species.

WRD has a new brochure on CWD that offers helpful information for sportsmen and women, meat processors and taxidermists and can be downloaded from the WRD website, www.gohuntgeorgia.com.

Any hunter who observes or harvests a deer in state that exhibits CWD symptoms should immediately call the local regional WRD office, local conservation ranger or contact Hunter Services at (770) 761-3045.