JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reminds hunters, meat processors, taxidermists, and others of new regulations now in effect regarding transporting deer, elk, and other cervid carcasses into Missouri and within the state, and of new regulations on cervid-carcass-disposal requirements for meat processors and taxidermists.
The new regulations of the Wildlife Code of Missouri are part of MDC’s ongoing efforts to slow the spread of the deadly disease called Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), which affects deer, elk, and other members of the deer family, called cervids.
“Many states with CWD have implemented similar restrictions on carcass movement,” said MDC Wildlife Health Program Supervisor Jasmine Batten. “The detection of CWD in several new areas of the state over the past few years is very concerning, and these regulation changes aim to further slow its spread. The vast majority of deer in Missouri are CWD-free today, and we want to keep it that way!”
Regulation changes for hunters who harvest deer in Missouri from a CWD Management Zone county are:
Deer harvested in CWD Management Zone counties must be telechecked before any parts of the carcass may be transported out of the county of harvest.
Whole carcasses and heads of deer harvested in CWD Management Zone counties may only be transported out of the county of harvest if the carcass is delivered to a licensed meat processor and/or taxidermist within 48 hours of exiting the county of harvest.
The following carcass parts may be moved outside of the county of harvest without restriction:
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
