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CWD Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)


Please contact our Information Center at 1-800-858-1549 or Info.Center@ky.gov if you have any questions not answered below.



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​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​General Questions​

Where has CWD been found? 

As of May 2024, CWD has been found in ​34 states in the United States, including all of Kentucky's seven border states. CWD has also been detected in five Canadian provinces. More information can be found here​.

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​Guarding Against CWD

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What can hunters bring in from out of state? 

State law prohibits bringing whole carcasses of a deer, elk, moose, or caribou into Kentucky from other states. The brain and spinal column must be removed. Hunters can only bring back the following:

  • ​Deboned meat
  • Antlers
  • Antlers that are attached to a skull cap having no meat matter or tissue attached
  • A skull having no meat matter or tissue attached
  • Teeth that have no meat matter or tissue attached
  • Finished taxidermy products
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What precautions can I take for handling, processing and disposing of ​deer? 

The precautions listed below should be followed when handling any wild game to minimize the risk of exposure and transmission of diseases or foodborne illnesses.

    General tips for processing

    • Do not harvest or consume any deer or elk found sick or dead.
    • Do not eat the eyes, brain, tongue, spinal cord, spleen, tonsils, or lymph nodes of deer or elk.
    • If hunting in an area where a CWD case has been confirmed, submit your harvest for CWD testing. The CDC recommends you do not consume meat from an animal that has tested positive for CWD.

    Field Dressing, Home Processing, and Cooking

    • Wear disposable gloves when field dressing, processing, or handling harvested game.
    • Use only knives or utensils selected for field dressing and processing for those activities. Do not use the same knives or utensils for eating.
    • Minimize contact with the brain, spinal cord, spleen, and lymph nodes.
    • Remove all internal organs.
    • Do not cut into the spinal column except to remove th​e head. Use a tool designated only for this purpose and thoroughly disinfect it after each use.
    • Bone out the meat and avoid severing the bones.
    • Dispose of any unused deer parts by burial or landfill as this will prevent other cervids or scavengers from coming into contact with any infected parts. Do not dispose of deer parts and carcasses on the ground, roadway, or in a waterway. If you are in a CWD Surveillance Area, be aware of any carcass disposal regulations.
    • If processing multiple deer or elk, process each deer or elk separately and store each deer’s meat in separate containers.
    • Thoroughly clean and sanitize equipment, materials, and surfaces that come into contact with harvested game.
    • Wash hands thoroughly with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds after handling the harvested game.
    • Do not allow dogs to scavenge on carcasses or consume raw or undercooked meat.
    • All harvested game should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F or higher to kill any present viruses, bacteria, or parasites. Properly cooked game is safe to eat. Do not consume raw or undercooked meat.
Why is burying carcasses a disposal option if CWD can infect its environmen​t? 

Even in burial pits, the disease stays deep below plant roots, minimizing the amount of prions at the surface, where it could spread much easier.

Can I cook CWD out of my deer meat?​ 

No, CWD prions (unlike bacteria and parasites) cannot be cooked hot enough at home to make them noninfectious. Incineration is the only way to destroy CWD prions, which would leave no meat left to consume.

Can hunters get their deer tested for CWD? 

Kentucky Fish and Wildlife’s CWD Sample Drop-off sites​ are​ located in strategic locations to enhance sample collection and statewide data.

At any of the locations, hunters can submit the head from a legally harvested and telechecked deer for CWD testing and aging at no charge. Bags and sample tags are provided. 

By participating, hunters will learn the age of the harvested deer and help Kentucky Fish and Wildlife's efforts to monitor the health of the state's deer and elk herds. Results will be available online at Chronic Wasting Disease Lookup App. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife will notify the hunter if the deer tests positive for CWD.

Please contact the Kentucky Fish & Wildlife Information Center (1-800-858-1549) or Regional Biologist if you have additional questions on how to get your deer tested.

Which deer should be tested for CWD? 

Bucks and does of any age.​

How long does it take to get the CWD test results back?  

Approximately 4-6 weeks. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife staff make every effort to get samples to the laboratory as quickly as possible. If your deer tests positive for CWD, you will be contacted by a Kentucky Fish and Wildlife biologist.

How do taxidermists get rid of carcass remains? 

A licensed taxidermist shall dispose of any unused cervide carcass material by either:

  • Burying the carcass or parts in an opening in the earth at least four (4) feet deep with the carcass or parts covered with two (2) inches of quicklime and at least three (3) feet of earth with the cervid abdominal cavity, if applicable, opened wide the entire length; at a point which is never covered with the overflow of ponds or streams; and not less than 100 feet from any watercourse, sinkhole, well, spring, public highway, residence, or stable.
  • Or bury depositing the carcass or parts in a contained landfill, as established in KRS Chapter 224.​​​





















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