Special CWD Rules In Effect For Clark County

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According to the CDC, “Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a prion disease that affects deer, elk, reindeer, sika deer and moose. It has been found in some areas of North America, including Canada and the United States, Norway and South Korea. It may take over a year before an infected animal develops symptoms, which can include drastic weight loss (wasting), stumbling, listlessness and other neurologic symptoms. CWD can affect animals of all ages and some infected animals may die without ever developing the disease. CWD is fatal to animals and there are no treatments or vaccines.

To date, there have been no reported cases of CWD infection in people. However, some animal studies suggest CWD poses a risk to certain types of non-human primates, like monkeys, that eat meat from CWD-infected animals or come in contact with brain or body fluids from infected deer or elk. These studies raise concerns that there may also be a risk to people. Since 1997, the World Health Organization has recommended that it is important to keep the agents of all known prion diseases from entering the human food chain.”

The Missouri Department of Conservation website provides the following information:

The CWD Management Zone includes counties within approximately 10 miles of CWD detections. Special regulations apply in these counties.

For the 2020–2021 deer seasons, the CWD Management Zone includes Adair, Barry, Cedar, Chariton, Christian, Clark, Crawford, Franklin, Gasconade, Hickory, Howell, Jefferson, Knox, Linn, Macon, Mercer, Oregon, Ozark, Perry, Polk, Putnam, St. Charles, St. Clair, St. Francois, Ste. Genevieve, Stone, Sullivan, Taney, Warren, and Washington counties.

FALL 2020 MANDATORY CWD SAMPLING

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and related public health concerns, mandatory CWD sampling requirements for hunters in CWD Management Zone counties on Nov. 14th & 15th have been suspended. Note, tracking and managing CWD remains a priority, and sampling stations will remain open for hunters who voluntarily choose to participate in this critical surveillance effort.

CWD Management zones 2020

SPECIAL REGULATIONS FOR THE CWD MANAGEMENT ZONE

Carcass Movement Restrictions

New! Special regulations are in place to slow the spread of CWD. Whole carcasses, heads, and certain other parts of deer harvested from the CWD Management Zone can be removed from the county of harvest only if they are delivered to a licensed meat processor or taxidermist within 48 hours of leaving the county of harvest. This rule does not apply to the following parts:

• Meat that is cut and wrapped or that has been boned out
• Quarters or other portions of meat with no part of the spinal column or head attached
• Hides from which all excess tissue has been removed
• Antlers or antlers attached to skull plates or skulls cleaned of all muscle and brain tissue
• Upper canine teeth
• Finished taxidermy products

Deer harvested within the CWD Management Zone must be reported through the Telecheck Harvest Reporting System before leaving the county of harvest. Whole carcasses of deer harvested in these counties that are being delivered to a licensed meat processor or taxidermist must be delivered within 48 hours of leaving the county of harvest.

Prohibition on feeding

Grain, salt products, minerals and other consumable products used to attract deer are prohibited year-round within CWD Management Zone counties. The following exceptions are allowed:

• Feed placed within 100 feet of any residence or occupied building
• Feed placed in a manner that excludes access by deer
• Feed and minerals used solely for normal agricultural, forest management, or wildlife food plot production practices
• Feed placed as part of a feral hog or CWD management effort authorized by the Conservation Department

Other Special Regulations for the CWD Management Zone

Antler-Point Restriction: MDC has removed the antler-point restriction for CWD-Management-Zone counties. This was done so young bucks are no longer protected from harvest because young bucks can spread the disease to new areas as they search for territories and mates.

Firearms Antlerless Permits: MDC has also increased the availability of firearms antlerless permits for CWD Management Zone counties to increase antlerless harvest opportunities  This was done to help prevent undesired population increases in local deer numbers.

BRINGING HARVESTED DEER OR OTHER CERVIDS INTO MISSOURI

For deer, elk, moose, or caribou harvested out of state, only the following parts may be brought into Missouri:

• meat that is cut and wrapped or that has been boned out
• quarters or other portions of meat with no part of the spinal column or head attached
• hides from which all excess tissue has been removed
• antlers
• antlers attached to skull plates or skulls cleaned of all muscle and brain tissue
• upper canine teeth
• finished taxidermy products
• the head with the cape and not more than 6 inches of neck attached may be brought into Missouri only if taken to a licensed taxidermist within 48 hours of entry.

HUNTERS AND LANDOWNERS CAN SLOW THE SPREAD OF CWD

Surveillance suggests that CWD is relatively rare in Missouri. There is hope that we can minimize the long-term impacts of the disease if we slow its spread. You can help by:

• Complying with CWD-related regulations.
• Properly disposing of deer carcasses in a permitted landfill or by burying carcasses on the property where they were harvested. (Transporting deer carcasses from the property where they were harvested and leaving them lay on the land introduces the greatest risk for disease spread.)
• Reporting sick deer to your local conservation agent or your regional Conservation Department office.
• Voluntarily testing deer harvested in the CWD Management Zone outside of opening weekend.