What Hunters Need To Know About Chronic Wasting Disease

There hasn't been a lot of talk about the problem of deer populations being impacted by chronic wasting disease in the Missoula area, even with the thousands of urban deer wandering through the Garden City's neighborhoods and surrounding areas.

But if you're wondering if it could be a problem, you might want to put this upcoming meeting on your calendar, especially if you're wondering about hunting opportunities involving mule deer.

Wildlife biologists in Missoula are inviting the public to talk about deer herd health and hunting outlooks later this month.

Specific info on mule deer and an update on CWD

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is hosting an informational session on mule deer and Chronic Wasting Disease on Wednesday, September 23rd, starting at 6 pm at the FWP Region 2 office on Spurgin Road.

Biologists will spend the first hour breaking down recent population surveys, long-term trends, and expectations for the upcoming fall hunting season.

brown deer on brown grass field during daytime — Photo by Acton Crawford on Unsplash

During the second hour, FWP wildlife health biologist Bevin McCormick will discuss Chronic Wasting Disease. While west-central Montana has seen only a handful of detections, higher prevalence in other parts of the state makes continued surveillance crucial. McCormick will highlight current management efforts and how hunters play a frontline role in monitoring.

The status of chronic wasting disease this fall

The fatal neurological illness infects deer, elk, and moose and spreads through infectious prions that persist in soil and bodily fluids. While state biologists say the disease shouldn't keep hunters out of the field, they emphasize that hunters are the frontline defense for herd conservation.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is asking hunters to submit harvested animals for testing at regional stations. Officials also remind hunters that dumping carcasses is illegal—high-risk parts like the brain, spinal cord, and spleen should either be left at the kill site or bagged and disposed of in an approved landfill. Test results and sampling locations are updated daily online at fwp.mt.gov.