Amid concerns of chronic wasting disease (CWD) spreading in Washington state, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has implemented emergency rules to stem its tide. CWD is a fatal disease affecting deer, elk, moose, and caribou, caused by mutated proteins called prions, which can be transmitted via animal waste. Hunting practices and the transport of game are under tight regulation as a response to a July detection of CWD in Spokane County.
Effective September 1, newly filed emergency rules by the WDFW, published on the agency's website, prohibit the use of bait and certain scents when hunting in areas known as game management units (GMUs) 124, 127, and 130. Hunters found using bait or scents derived from cervid urine and glandular extracts in these regulated zones will be acting unlawfully. This measure aims to reduce the chances of animal congregation and subsequent disease spread.
As of today, the transportation of deer, elk, or moose, including parts thereof, across Washington State faces strict restrictions. Hunters are prohibited from moving any game out of the 100 series GMUs unless the meat has been deboned within the state or province where it was harvested and is transferred as boned-out meat; this mitigates the risk of prion spread via the transportation of potentially contaminated animal parts.
In an additional effort to monitor and contain CWD, WDFW now mandates that any deer or elk salvaged within the aforementioned GMUs must be submitted for testing of chronic wasting disease. Individuals are to provide the WDFW with the entire head, including a portion of the neck, or the extracted lymph nodes from the base of the skull within three days of receipt of a salvage permit. This new requirement coincides with the start of the mandatory reporting of hunting activities as of September 1, where hunters must similarly submit animal heads from harvested deer, elk, and moose for testing following a successful hunt.
The department has outlined these changes — in addition to further CWD management strategies — on its website, where hunters can find information on testing and general guidelines to adhere to. As part of their conservation mandate, WDFW is set to propose similar rules for permanent adoption, aiming to preserve Washington's diverse wildlife and maintain stable ecosystems through conscientious management practices.
