Columbia, S.C. — With big game seasons opening in many parts of the country, the S. C. Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) would like to remind hunters traveling out-of-state not to import into South Carolina certain carcass parts from white-tailed deer, mule deer, moose and elk harvested in areas where confirmed cases of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) have occurred.
“In order to ensure that South Carolina’s extremely valuable white-tailed deer resource remains protected, the SCDNR continues to maintain regulations restricting the importation of certain carcass parts from deer and elk harvested in the U.S. states and Canadian provinces where CWD has been documented,” said SCDNR Assistant Big Game Program Coordinator Jay Cantrell.
Deer hunting generates more than $200 million annually for South Carolina’s economy, and white-tailed deer are the most-sought game species in the state, in addition to being the official state game animal. It is critical that sportsmen and women who pursue big-game in other parts of the country understand and comply with these restrictions to protect the South Carolina deer population and not potentially bring infective materials back home from a successful hunting trip.
U.S. states where CWD has been diagnosed include: Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming. CWD has also been found in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Quebec. CWD has NOT been found in South Carolina. SCDNR is working to keep South Carolina CWD free. Hunters also play a key role in keeping this disease out of our state.
About CWD:
CWD belongs to the family of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies and is similar to mad cow disease. It is a contagious, always
