While research has shown that prions may be present in a wide variety of tissues and body fluids, including blood and muscle, they are most prevalent in the brain, eyes, spinal cord, lymph nodes, tonsils and spleen. Thus, it is recommended that hunters bone out harvested cervids in the field, and take extra precautions when handling organs where prions are most likely to accumulate (A complete list of current hunter recommendations is available online).
There is currently no evidence that CWD is transmissible to humans. However, public health officials recommend that human exposure to the CWD agent be avoided as they continue to research the disease. Accordingly, hunters are advised not to eat meat from animals known to be infected with CWD. If you wish to have your animal tested for CWD, contact the local wildlife agency for information regarding appropriate procedures and submission locations. Remember, while disease testing is an important tool for detecting CWD, it is not a food safety test.
Prions are most concentrated in the brain, spinal cord, lymph glands, tonsils, eyes and spleen. To minimize the risk of exposure to potentially contaminated tissues, wear latex or rubber gloves when handling your game animal and bone out all meat. Avoid sawing through bone where possible (particularly the spinal column), and do not cut through edible portions of meat with a blade used to cut bone. Additionally, remove as much fatty tissue as possible. Many lymph glands are located in fat deposits under the skin and between muscle layers.
Prions are very resistant to disinfection. Wash hands and instruments thoroughly after field dressing is completed. Instruments, cutting boards and other items used for field dressing or processing should be soaked for 5 minutes in a 40% solution of household bleach to inactivate prions. However, the items must be completely clean with absolutely no tissue or organic matter present for this procedure to be effective.
You should ask your processor to handle your animal and the meat from it separately from other animals, to completely bone out your animal, and to remove all lymph glands prior to grinding the meat.
If you remove the skull cap with antlers attached, the saw should be cleaned and disinfected with a 50/50 solution of chlorine bleach and water. This saw should not be used to cut through any edible portions of meat on the carcass. If you keep the entire skull (for a European mount), you should ensure all flesh and soft tissue, including brain matter, is removed. Wear rubber or latex gloves while doing this, and clean the skull by soaking it in a 50/50 solution of chlorine bleach and water. If you wish to transport the entire skull, or anything more than a cleaned skull cap, out of a CWD positive area, contact your local state wildlife agency to determine if carcass transportation regulations apply to your area or state. An interactive North American map summarizing state and provincial carcass transportation regulations can be found on the front page of this website.
Little is known about how infected cervid parts may or may not contaminate the environment. Researchers have demonstrated, however, that CWD can be transmitted to un-infected deer housed in paddocks where carcasses of CWD infected deer had previously decomposed, and that these paddocks remained infectious for many years. Therefore, it is recommended that bones and other carcass parts be double bagged in strong garbage bags and disposed of at a landfill with an approved dead animal disposal area.
Yes. Most states conduct surveillance for CWD through a network of USDA-approved laboratories. If you are hunting in an area where surveillance is occurring, you may be required to submit your harvested animal for testing. If you are not, but still wish to have your animal tested for CWD, contact the local wildlife agency for the appropriate procedures and submission location. Remember, such testing is an important tool for detecting CWD, but it is not a food safety test.
Many diseases and health conditions can cause emaciation or neurological disease in wild cervids. Unless your state wildlife agency or other appropriate authority has issued specific instructions or regulations, you should accurately document the location of the animal and immediately contact the nearest officer or employee of the state wildlife agency. Do not attempt to contact, disturb, kill or remove the animal.
If you have specific questions regarding the status of CWD in the area you are planning to hunt, you should contact the state wildlife agency. The interactive state map on the home page of this website may provide you with access to the information you are seeking.