Nevada Quarantine Order On Deer Over Chronic Wasting Disease Concerns

In May, California Department of Fish and Wildlife officials announced that two deer, one in Madera County, the other near Bishop in Inyo County, were diagnosed with chronic wasting disease. This is what CDFW had to say back in May:

The disparate locations of these two detections indicates that CWD has probably been present in California for some time, since the incubation period can be months to years.  

“CWD infected animals can excrete infectious prions before clinical signs appear and these prions can persist in the environment for years, making it very difficult to prevent or control the spread once it has been introduced,” says, Dr. Brandon Munk, CDFW’s wildlife veterinarian who oversees CWD surveillance and response efforts. “The public can help limit the spread of CWD by reporting any signs of illness in deer and elk populations, and hunters should strongly consider testing their harvested deer or elk.”   

CDFW continues to provide surveillance, response, long-term management plans and public outreach and education through their “No Time to Waste” campaign to limit the spread. Hunters can assist in the efforts by voluntarily participating in CDFW’s statewide CWD surveillance and sampling efforts and encouraging other hunters to participate. 

Now, as more caaes have been detected in other neighboring states, the Nevada Department Wildlife has issued a quarantine ban for hunters who harvest deer in the western part of Nevada. Here’s a press release sent out on Wednesday:

Reno, NV- With some big game hunting seasons starting and many approaching, the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) is raising awareness about a quarantine order to prevent the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), a fatal neurologic disease found in the deer family, into Nevada. This order, issued by the Nevada Department of Agriculture’s State Quarantine Officer and Director, comes after recent detections of CWD in a road killed deer near Bishop, California. As of today, CWD has not been confirmed in Nevada. However, this is the first time the disease has been detected this close to the state.

“With deer movement occurring between the two states, the Nevada Department of Wildlife is taking extra precautions. This detection is hundreds of miles away from the nearest known CWD infected herd. Therefore, it was most likely moved by people, either through movement and dumping of carcass parts or through movement of live cervids [animals in the deer family],” said Dr. Nate LaHue, Nevada Department of Wildlife Health Specialist and Veterinarian.  

CWD has now been detected in three of the five states that border Nevada including Idaho, Utah and now California.

To improve surveillance and prevent the movement of CWD, the following quarantine measures are now in place under the authority of Nevada Revised Statute Chapter 571 and Nevada Administrative Code 441A:

• Effective immediately, all elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, moose, reindeer, caribou, and fallow deer within Nevada Hunt Units 192-196, 201-208, 211-213, and 291 are under quarantine (see map on page 2 ).
• It is now mandatory that anyone who harvests a deer in the Transportation Restriction Zone (TRZ) submits a CWD sample. Sample instructions can be found on : 
• It is illegal for anyone to knowingly transport or possess the carcass or any part of the carcass of any elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, moose, reindeer, caribou, or fallow deer harvested in the Nevada TRZ, or another state, territory, or country, HOWEVER: 
• It is legal to bring into Nevada or move out of the TRZ the following parts of the carcass of any of the animals listed above:
  • Wrapped meat or quarters, with no part of the spinal column, brain tissue, or head attached.? 
  • The hide or cape with no part of the spinal column, brain tissue, or head attached. 
  • The clean skull plate with antlers attached and no brain tissue attached. 
  • The antlers with no meat or tissue other than antler velvet attached.
  • The taxidermy mount with no meat or tissue other than antler velvet (if applicable) attached.
  • The upper canine teeth including, without limitation, the bugler, whistler, and ivory teeth. 
  • A sample collected within the TRZ for CWD surveillance (separately bagged and including only the obex and lymph nodes) that can be dropped off at any NDOW office. 
• Disposal requirements: Within the TRZ, the spinal column, brain tissue or head attached must be disposed of in the following manner:
  • Left at the site of harvest (preferred method). 
  • Disposed of in approved and certified landfill within the TRZ (see list here: ).
  • Surrendered to the NDOW office in Reno or Tonopah or check station within the TRZ for disposal.  
  • Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES should prohibited parts be moved out of the TRZ or disposed of on the landscape (other than the location of kill).  

These same transport requitements must be followed when harvesting any species in the deer family (deer, elk, moose, caribou) outside of Nevada. This quarantine order remains in effect until February 1, 2025, or until a written release is issued by the State Quarantine Officer.

Hunters are encouraged to visit ndow.org () for helpful information on preparing their harvests for transport.