Beginning immediately, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) will partner with the Flathead County landfill to remove deer infected with chronic wasting disease (CWD). CWD was recently confirmed in whitetail deer at the landfill, which is part of Hunting District 170, making it the first time the deadly disease has been detected in that area, according to a news release.

The first buck was reported as “symptomatic” last October. FWP euthanized the deer and submitted samples for CWD testing. The samples came back positive and, since then, FWP has confirmed CWD in nine additional deer that have entered the landfill. Going forward, any whitetail deer seen entering the landfill this winter will be euthanized in order to prevent the disease from infiltrating the surrounding area. This is considered a “precautionary step” to keep the disease from spreading and to protect local wildlife.

“This detection underscores the importance of vigilance and rapid response,” said FWP Regional Wildlife Manager Neil Anderson. “By implementing these measures now, we aim to minimize the spread of CWD and protect the long-term health of our deer populations.”

To date, 331 animals have been tested for CWD in HD 170; however, only the 10 whitetail deer tested positive for the disease. 

FWP will continue to monitor and evaluate the plan to see if it is effective in keeping CWD from spreading to other neighboring areas.