To prevent the spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD), the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) is making sure hunters are aware of a quarantine order with regard to elk, mule deer, whitetail deer, moose, reindeer, caribou and fallow deer in Nevada Hunt Units 192-196, 201-208, 211-213 and 291, according to a news release.

This order is a result of the recent detections of CWD in a road-killed deer near Bishop, California. To date, CWD has not been confirmed in Nevada; however, the proximity of the CWD-infected deer in California is too close for comfort.

“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, NDOW Wildlife Health Specialist and Veterinarian.  

CWD has been confirmed in Idaho, Utah and California – three of the five states that share a border with Nevada.

Other details about the quarantine order include mandatory CWD sampling of any mule deer harvested in the Transportation Restriction Zone in Nevada. You also cannot “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” though you can bring wrapped meat or quarters (no spinal column, brain tissue or head), hide or cape, a clean skull plate with antlers, a taxidermy mount without any meat or tissue, upper canine teeth and your CWD sample, if applicable. 

More information about how to submit a sample for testing and other relevant information can be found here.