The Biggest Threat Our Game Herds Face
Sign the pledge to help end the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).
Photo: Kyle Moon
As a committed Montana hunter, I will do my part to contain the spread and prevalence of Chronic Wasting Disease.
Follow the recommendations from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks to properly handle game I take. I pledge to:
- Wear rubber gloves and eye protection when field dressing my deer or elk.
- Minimize the handling of brain and spinal tissues.
- Wash hands and instruments thoroughly after field dressing is completed.
- Avoid consuming brain, spinal cord, eyes, spleen, tonsils and lymph nodes of harvested animals. Normal field dressing, coupled with boning out of a carcass, will essentially remove these parts.
- If I have any doubts or questions about the health of an animal I’ve harvested, I will contact Fish, Wildlife & Parks.
Never feed wildlife, or bait game animals. It’s illegal in Montana in the first place, but the threat of CWD makes it all the more important to not concentrate animals and help make the spread of the diseases easier. CWD is spread through contact with diseased animals and bodily fluids.
Dispose of carcasses properly. In areas with CWD already detected, bury the carcass including the head, brain and spinal column of harvested game onsite. Or bag up those parts and dispose of them in a landfill. Dispose of CWD positive animals in an approved landfill. Transport only boned meat and cleaned skull caps out of CWD Management Areas.
Report any sightings of deer, elk or moose displaying signs of CWD. Those include lethargy, cognitive loss, confusion or emaciation. I will let MWF and Montana FWP know the time, date and location of an animal displaying any of these symptoms that are a strong indication of CWD infection. I will not not harvest an animal that appears ill.
Our Work
Healthy fish and wildlife populations depend on high-quality, intact habitat. The Montana Wildlife Federation works to protect habitat on public and private lands throughout the state. We advocate for scientifically-based land management and conservation of wild lands and wild waters.
Our Work
Please take our Montana elk management survey. These survey results will help inform our elk management efforts.
Our Work
Fish and wildlife that have disappeared from other parts of the West are still abundant in Montana. However, the pressures and threats grow greater and more numerous with each passing year. MWF works to advocate for sound science and policies aimed at protecting every species found here, whether it is a nongame, big game, or one of our amazing fish species.
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