A quick notice regarding efforts to fight Chronic Wasting Disease in Texas: TYHP would like to remind all Texas hunters that the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department recently issued updated rules concerning harvest-reporting of white-tailed deer, mule deer, and exotic species that are susceptible to Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in certain areas of Texas.
CWD is an always-fatal infectious neurological disease that has no cure, is difficult to contain, and has potential to greatly affect wildlife populations. It affects certain members of the deer family, including native species such as white-tailed deer, mule deer, black-tailed deer, elk and moose, and exotic species such as red deer, sika deer, and reindeer. Note that axis deer are not susceptible to CWD.
In a press release dated November 5, 2021 the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) noted that new rules issued by TPWD became effective October 14, 2021, updating procedures regarding surveillance and movement requirements. Part of the surveillance strategy involves using CWD Containment Zones, which are certain specifically defined geographic areas where CWD cases have been found and special focus is applied to “contain” spread of the disease.
What does this mean to hunters in Texas? In short, certain animals harvested in certain specific areas must be taken to a TPWD Check Station within 48 hours so that experts may examine the animals and possibly take samples of tissue for CWD testing. Our purpose in this TYHP blog post is not to fully explain all the elements of fighting CWD in Texas – it is an extremely complex subject! We are just helping pass along information from our friends at TPWD and TAHC.
For more information on CWD, CWD zones, and requirements:
- CWD Zones: https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/hunting/cwd/cwd-zones
- TAHC Exotic CWD Susceptible Species Page: https://www.tahc.texas.gov/animal_health/elk-deer/#cwdexotic
- TPWD CWD Page: https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/diseases/cwd/#navTop