TWIN BRIDGES – Chronic wasting disease was recently detected in an elk on the north end of the Ruby Mountains in Hunting District 322.
CWD is a contagious neurological disease that infects mule deer, white-tailed deer, elk and moose. It’s always fatal, and there is no known cure. It was first detected in Montana’s wild herds in 2017.
A hunter harvested the CWD-positive elk adjacent to the lower Ruby Valley, where CWD has been observed at high prevalence locally in both white-tailed and mule deer. While this is the first time CWD has been detected in elk in the Ruby Mountains, it was expected to eventually occur given the presence of the disease among deer populations that use the same habitats.
Sampling from hunter-harvested animals indicates CWD prevalence likely remains low in elk in the area.
It’s unlikely this detection will result in changes to elk hunting regulations in this area, which already has liberal harvest regulations for elk. Hunters can help wildlife managers monitor CWD by continuing to submit samples from harvested animals.
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has a variety of resources to help hunters get their harvested animals tested for CWD, including tutorials for taking and submitting samples themselves, as well as sampling stations where FWP staff are available to help. To view these resources, click here.
Hunting is the primary tool for monitoring and managing the spread of CWD. Concerns over CWD shouldn’t stop hunters from enjoying hunting season. Hunters are critical to conservation efforts across the state, including CWD management.
Hunters can help slow the spread of CWD by disposing of animal carcasses properly after harvesting the meat. This includes leaving carcass remains at the kill site or bagging the carcass and disposing of it in a Class II landfill.
There is no known transmission of CWD to humans. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that hunters harvesting deer, elk or moose from an area where CWD is known to exist have their animal tested prior to consuming the meat, and do not consume the meat if the animal tests positive.
To learn more, visit fwp.mt.gov/CWD.
