CWD and Carcass Disposal
Wildlife managers with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department are reminding hunters that there are very specific laws and regulations that apply when processing and transporting harvested game animals. These laws and regulations are in place to limit the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).
Animal carcasses may only be dumped in an approved landfill in Wyoming. Click here to view a map of landfills that may accept carcasses from processed game animals and whole carcasses.
CWD can be transmitted from carcasses of animals that have died of CWD. To minimize this possibility the Department requires that deer, elk and moose hunters transport only the following items from areas where CWD is known to exist:
• cut and wrapped meat
• boned meat
• animal quarters or other pieces with no portion of the spinal column or head attached
• cleaned hides without the heads
• cleaned (no meat or other tissue attached) skull plates with antlers attached
• antlers with no meat or brain tissue attached
The head, spine and other nervous tissue shall be left at the site of the kill or bagged and disposed of in an approved landfill.
See Wyoming Game & Fish Department General Hunting Regulations, Sections 15 & 16 for complete regulations regarding transportation, disposal, and importation of animals from known CWD areas.
NOTE: Nothing in these requirements allows hunters to remove evidence of sex, species or horn or antler development as required in the regulations. For further information refer to the Important Hunting Information Section in the current year's deer or elk regulations.
Nonresident hunters should check with their state wildlife agency concerning local recommendations or regulations prohibiting importation of certain portions of carcasses into that state.
Animal carcasses may only be dumped in an approved landfill in Wyoming. Click here to view a map of landfills that may accept carcasses from processed game animals and whole carcasses.
CWD can be transmitted from carcasses of animals that have died of CWD. To minimize this possibility the Department requires that deer, elk and moose hunters transport only the following items from areas where CWD is known to exist:
• cut and wrapped meat
• boned meat
• animal quarters or other pieces with no portion of the spinal column or head attached
• cleaned hides without the heads
• cleaned (no meat or other tissue attached) skull plates with antlers attached
• antlers with no meat or brain tissue attached
The head, spine and other nervous tissue shall be left at the site of the kill or bagged and disposed of in an approved landfill.
See Wyoming Game & Fish Department General Hunting Regulations, Sections 15 & 16 for complete regulations regarding transportation, disposal, and importation of animals from known CWD areas.
NOTE: Nothing in these requirements allows hunters to remove evidence of sex, species or horn or antler development as required in the regulations. For further information refer to the Important Hunting Information Section in the current year's deer or elk regulations.
Nonresident hunters should check with their state wildlife agency concerning local recommendations or regulations prohibiting importation of certain portions of carcasses into that state.
Mark Gocke, Public Information Specialist, 307-733-2321