CWD Surveillance Zone

CWD Home

CWD Test Results Look-Up

Graphic of an keyboard with a key labeled "FAQ"

CWD Frequently Asked Questions

CWD Sample Drop-off Sites

CWD SURVEILLANCE ZONE

A CWD Surveillance Zone is in effect for the following counties due to in-state detections of CWD or detections in nearby out-of-state areas: Ballard, Breckinridge, Calloway, Carlisle, Casey, Fulton, Graves, Hardin, Henderson, Hickman, Laurel, Lincoln, Marshall, McCracken, McCreary, Meade, Pulaski, Rockcastle, Russel, Union, Wayne, Webster and Whitley. Before heading out into the field, become familiar with the regulations in these counties.

Know Before You Go

Check out the Know Before you Go Map to find your harvest location and grid square number. You'll need to provide this information at check stations or drop-off sites.

Open Map

Regulations in the CWD Surveillance Zone

Baiting and Feeding Restrictions

For the 2025-2026 deer season, under the authority of the commissioner, baiting is allowed with restrictions:

No contact style feeders (e.g., troughs, funnels, gravity feeders, etc.)
Baiting is still banned on WMAs and public lands
Scent attractants and deer urine products remain permitted

Carcass Importation Prohibited

It is illegal to bring whole carcasses or high-risk parts (head, skull cap
with brain material, or spine) from out-of-state deer, elk, moose,
or caribou into Kentucky. See full regulation: 301 KAR 2:095.

Carcass Transportation Restrictions

Only the following parts can be taken out of a CWD Surveillance Zone:

Deboned meat
Antlers (with or without a clean skull cap)
Clean skull (no brain tissue)
Clean teeth
Hides
Finished taxidermy mounts

Rehabilitation of Cervids Prohibited

Rehabilitating deer or other cervids is prohibited in the CWD Surveillance Zone. Any currently rehabilitated cervid outside the CWD Surveillance Zone must be released within the same county in which rehabilitation took place (per 301 KAR 2:075).

Mandatory Sampling

Mandatory sampling requirements apply to all hunters, including license-exempt hunters such as youths under 12 or landowners hunting on their own property, as well as those who take deer during these dates using methods other than muzzleloader or archery equipment. Deer given to others by a hunter during mandatory check dates must also be taken to a staffed CWD check station or a CWD Sample Drop-off site. All deer must be telechecked before coming to a check station.

Special Antlerless Season

When: Sept 27-28

Where: All CWD Surveillance Zone counties.

What to do: Drop off the head of a legally harvested and telechecked antlerless deer at a CWD Sample Drop-off site. Only drop-off sites within the CWD Surveillance Zone may be used for deer taken within the zone. Staffed check stations are not available during this season.

Important: Hunters must provide the harvest location when dropping off a sample. This information is kept private and is used by Kentucky Fish and Wildlife to monitor deer population health and densities. Use the Know Before You Go map to find your grid square number, or provide a harvest address or GPS coordinates.

CWD testing is free of charge. Test results are typically available in 4-6 weeks.

Modern Gun

When: First weekend of modern gun (Nov. 8–10)

Where: Henderson, Union, and Webster counties only.

What to do: Hunters must visit a staffed check station or a CWD Sample Drop-off site if hunting on these dates in these counties. Only drop-off sites within the CWD Surveillance Zone may be used for deer taken within the zone.

Important: Hunters must provide the harvest location when dropping off a sample. This information is kept private and is used by Kentucky Fish and Wildlife to monitor deer population health and densities. Use the Know Before You Go map to find your grid square number, or provide a harvest address or GPS coordinates.

CWD testing is free of charge. Test results are typically available in 4-6 weeks.

CWD Sample Drop-off Sites

Availability: 24/7 through the CWD Surveillance Zone. Find CWD Drop-off site locations

What to Drop Off

Deer head with at least 5 inches of neck attached
Antlers must be removed from bucks
Caped and skull-capped heads are accepted
Instructions, bags, and tags are provided at each site

What to Provide

Telecheck and licensing information
Harvest location (Know Before You Go grid number, address, GPS coordinates)
Hunter contact information

Important: Retain the tear-off portion of your sample tag as proof of checking your deer.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

Before you hit the woods, check this map to determine the location of your harvest. This location number can be used when you visit a staffed check station or a CWD Sample Drop-off site.

CWD SURVEILLANCE ZONE FAQS

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

Mandatory Check

Can a sample be submitted at any staffed check station or drop-off site in a CWD Surveillance Zone, or must it be in the county of harvest?

A deer may be checked at any CWD Check Station or CWD Drop-off site located within the Surveillance Zone, regardless of the county of harvest. However, hunters may not travel through non-surveillance zone counties to reach a different county within the surveillance zone to check their deer.

What do you do if you harvest a deer after shooting light?

Hunters have two options: they can either bring their deer to a staffed CWD Check Station the next day, or drop off the deer's head at a CWD Sample Drop-off site within the CWD Surveillance Zone where the deer was harvested. If you want to have your deer taxidermied or mounted and the check stations are closed, contact a local biologist for help by calling 1-800-858-1549. Please note that if you wish to keep any deer parts, do not drop off the head at a CWD Sample Drop-off site, as parts left there will not be returned.

I want to get a trophy deer processed. Should I take it to a staffed CWD Check Station or a CWD Sample Drop-off site?

Visit a staffed CWD Check Station when available. Department staff will work with hunters to ensure a taxidermist can still process their deer. Do not visit a CWD Sample Drop-off site if you intend to get your deer taxidermied. Deer heads and parts cannot be returned after being dropped off. If you want to have your deer taxidermied or mounted and the staffed check stations are closed, not open the next day, or are unavailable, contact a local biologist for help by calling 1-800-858-1549.

Hunters can use the CWD Sample Drop-off sites or sign up for a CWD Sample Mail-in Kit.

What is the difference between a staffed CWD Check Station and a CWD Sample Drop-off site?

CWD Check Stations are run by Kentucky Fish and Wildlife staff. On the other hand, CWD Sample Drop-off sites are self-service and only accept deer heads for sampling. If you're looking to get your deer mounted or taxidermied, or need assistance, visit a staffed CWD Check Station.

Why are the CWD Check Stations and CWD Sample Drop-off sites important?

Early detection can help prevent CWD from spreading. To detect the disease as early as possible, the department needs many samples from the area.

General

What is a CWD Surveillance Zone?

Kentucky's CWD Surveillance Zone is a designated area established by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources to monitor and manage detected cases of CWD within the state, or detected cases within proximity to Kentucky's borders. A Surveillance Zone aims to detect and prevent the spread of CWD through surveillance and monitoring activities, and implement specific regulations to manage the spread of the disease. The establishment of a CWD Surveillance Zone is a proactive measure to safeguard Kentucky's deer and elk herds from CWD.

How long will it take to get CWD test results back?

Hunters should expect results to be online within 4-6 weeks. If any sample results are positive, Kentucky Fish and Wildlife will contact the hunter as soon as possible.

What are the possible penalties for violating special deer regulations in the CWD Surveillance Zone?

Violations of special regulations will be taken very seriously, and penalties could range from a warning to losing hunting or firearm rights to ultimately jail time.

Is there a way to report suspected violations anonymously?

Anyone can use the KFWLaw app or text the keyword "KFWLAW" along with the rest of their message or tip to 847411 (tip411). Tips can also be reported by calling 1-800-25-ALERT (1-800-252-5378).

Should I continue to hunt?

Hunters are encouraged to continue hunting with a few modifications if harvesting animals in the CWD Surveillance Zone. These modifications include following CWD regulations aimed to reduce transmission and the spread of disease. The department asks that you make the adjustments previously outlined regarding baiting and visiting CWD check stations when mandatory check is required. Reducing any potential spread of the disease is our primary concern and hunters should follow routine health and safety precautions, including not moving carcasses out of a CWD Surveillance Zone, and not harvesting or consuming any game animal found sick or dead. The CDC recommends not eating meat from an animal that tests positive for CWD.

Do you have instructions on how to debone a deer in the field?

With special carcass transportation restrictions in place due to chronic wasting disease (CWD), it's important that hunters know how to debone their deer harvest in the field. In the video, How to Process or Debone a Deer in the Field, Kentucky Afield Host Chad Miles walks hunters through a step-by-step process of deboning a whitetail deer in the field. The method used here ultimately yields the same cuts of meat as a typical processing method would, with each muscle or muscle group removed individually.