Safely handle big game to reduce disease spread

With deer season underway, hunters are encouraged to use safe handling procedures when harvesting, transporting or disposing of a deer or elk carcass to minimize the potential spread of chronic wasting disease.

CWD is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that can be unintentionally transmitted from CWD-positive carcasses that are moved from the harvest location and not handled or disposed of appropriately.

Research shows the misfolded proteins, or prions, that cause CWD can linger in the soil, making elimination or reduction of spread to new areas vitally important. For that reason and when possible, unwanted parts of the animal should be disposed of in landfills.

Hunters also should adhere to the following guidance to protect themselves and other wildlife:

• Do not shoot, handle or consume any animal that is acting abnormally or appears to be sick, and avoid consuming meat from any animal that tests positive for CWD.
• Avoid consuming the brain, spinal cord, eyes, spleen, tonsils or lymph nodes of harvested animals. Normal field dressing coupled with the boning out of a carcass will remove most, if not all, of these body parts. Cutting away all fatty tissue will remove remaining lymph nodes.
• When processing, don’t saw through bone, avoid cutting through the brain or spinal column, and minimize the handling of brain and spinal tissues. Wear protective gear, such as disposable gloves.
• Knives, cutting boards, and other items used for processing should be soaked for 5 minutes in a 50% solution of household bleach for decontamination. For this process to be effective, no tissue or organic matter can be present on materials.
• Double bag all unwanted carcass parts prior to disposal at a landfill. If this option is not feasible, leave unwanted carcass parts at the harvest site.

For more information on the safe handling of big game animals, visit cwd-info.org.