Massachusetts hunters who hunt cervids (deer, elk, and moose) in New York, or other states and Canadian provinces where chronic wasting disease (CWD) is found, are reminded that they can bring back ONLY deboned meat, cleaned skull caps, hides without the head, or a fixed taxidermy mount. It is illegal for anyone to import, process, or possess whole carcasses or parts of cervids from wild or captive herds. This regulation has been in place since 2005.

If hunting deer, elk, moose in other states and provinces, particularly those in which CWD has been detected, hunters are advised to check with their state fish and wildlife agency to see if they have any specific advice to hunters or special regulations.

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a contagious neurological disease that is fatal to deer, elk, and moose. At this time, CWD has been detected in wild or captive cervids in Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming, West Virginia, and Wisconsin, and in the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. According to the World Health Organization, people cattle and other livestock are resistant to transmission of CWD. More information on Chronic Wasting Disease and a list of selected New York meat cutters near the Massachusetts border http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/dfw_toc.htm

Help keep Massachusetts deer and moose CWD-free — it’s the law.