To further safeguard Kentucky’s deer and elk from chronic wasting disease, the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources announced new restrictions Dec. 15 on the importation of deer from Tennessee.
Effective immediately, hunters are prohibited from bringing any deer from Tennessee into Kentucky unless the brain and spinal column have been removed first.
The move comes in response to a preliminary positive detection of CWD in 10 white-tailed deer in Tennessee. Chronic wasting disease has not been detected in Kentucky.
Chronic wasting disease is an infectious neurological disease that affects white-tailed deer, elk and other members of the deer family. It invariably leads to the death of affected animals. There is no known treatment or vaccine for the disease, which has been found in more than two dozen states and three Canadian provinces.
Deer parts that are allowed under this new restriction include quarters or other portions of meat with no part of the spinal column or head attached, boned-out meat, antlers, antlers attached to a clean skull plate, a clean skull, clean teeth, hides and finished taxidermy works.
Chronic wasting disease can be spread across the landscape, either directly through the natural movement of infected deer, elk or other members of the deer family, or through the interstate movement of infected captive deer, elk or other members of the deer family.
CWD also can be transmitted indirectly through the movement of infected carcasses and parts from hunter-harvested deer, elk or other members of the deer family, as well as contaminated soil and water sources.
There is no evidence that suggests CWD is transmissible to people or livestock.