Frequently Asked Questions about CWD in Florida

CWD is a contagious nervous system disease that is fatal to deer, elk, moose, and caribou.

CWD is believed to be caused by a naturally occurring protein, called a prion, that becomes misfolded and thus resists being broken down by the body the way normal proteins are. When these misfolded proteins are introduced into a healthy member of the deer family, they cause normal prion proteins to misfold. As these proteins accumulate, they begin damaging the animal’s nervous system. CWD can be transmitted directly through animal-to-animal contact or indirectly through contaminated soil, plants, or other materials. There is currently no vaccine, treatment, or cure for CWD.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has confirmed that a 4.5 year-old road-killed female white-tailed deer sampled January 31, 2023 during routine FWC chronic wasting disease (CWD) surveillance activities in Holmes County has tested positive for CWD. A confirmed positive test was received June 13, 2023 from the USDA National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, IA. It is the first known case in Florida of CWD, a contagious disease of the brain and central nervous system that is fatal to deer.

The FWC and Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) have a comprehensive joint response plan with the goal of managing CWD within the area it was found and limiting its spread. As part of the plan, the FWC will collect samples from specific established zones to further assess the spread of the disease. The results from this initial sampling effort will inform resource managers so they can react with appropriate management strategies.

Because prions shed by infected deer persist in the environment, the best chance for managing CWD is acting quickly after it’s been detected to prevent more animals from becoming infected.  

The FWC takes CWD very seriously and is taking an aggressive approach to address the spread of the disease. The FWC has a comprehensive plan in place and is working closely with FDACS and other partners to immediately respond to the recent detection of CWD.  

Partner agencies have established a Unified Command to address this event, and increased sampling and surveillance is underway. 

In an executive order signed by FWC Executive Director Roger Young on June 19, 2023, actions include: 

• Establishment of a CWD Management Zone centered around the location of the positive sample. The CWD Management Zone includes the portions of Holmes, Jackson, and Washington counties north of Interstate 10, east of State Road 81 and west of U.S. Highway 231. See graphic. 
• The prohibition of exporting whole cervid (deer) carcasses and high-risk carcass parts originating from the CWD Management Zone 
• The prohibition of baiting or feeding deer within the CWD Management Zone with limited exceptions 
• The prohibition of rehabilitating or releasing injured or orphaned white-tailed deer originating within the CWD Management Zone. 

In an executive order signed by FWC Executive Director Roger Young on September 8, 2023, in addition to previously issued rules, new regulations for hunters are in place in the region including:

• A mandatory check station weekend from December 9-10, 2023. During that weekend, all deer harvested in Holmes, Jackson, and Washington counties will be required to be checked at a staffed FWC check station prior to being transported to a possessor’s home, a meat processor, or a taxidermist.
• The take of antlerless deer will be allowed during the entire general gun season in Deer Management Unit (DMU) D2.
• The take of antlerless deer will be allowed during the mandatory check station weekend on December 9-10 in the parts of Holmes, Jackson, and Washington counties located in DMU D1.
• Bag limits and all other antlerless deer season dates will remain unchanged.
• These new regulations do not apply to Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs).

 FDACS management actions include: 

• Heightened review of transportation permits for intra-state captive cervids to or from captive cervid facilities within the CWD Management Zone. 
• Increased communication with captive cervid facilities in the CWD Management Zone. 
• Quarantine of all captive cervid facilities in the CWD Management Zone. 

The Florida Department of Health has provided informational resources to all county health offices in the area and is integrated into the Unified Command to assist as necessary. 

Multiple management strategies will be employed to control the spread of the disease.

CWD is one of the most serious wildlife diseases facing state wildlife agencies. While the full impacts of CWD on population dynamics of deer are not presently known, computer modeling and published studies suggest CWD could substantially reduce infected deer populations by lowering adult survival rates and destabilizing long-term population dynamics.

The origin of CWD is not known, and it may never be possible to conclusively determine how or when it first occurred. CWD was first recognized in the 1960s as a syndrome in captive mule deer held in Colorado wildlife research facilities, but it was not identified as a neurological disease caused by abnormal prions until the 1970s. Computer modeling suggests the disease may have been present in free-ranging populations of mule deer for more than 60 years. 

In addition to this first Florida detection, CWD has also been found in captive and/or free-ranging members of the deer family in 31 other states: 

1. Alabama 
2. Arkansas 
3. Colorado 
4. Idaho 
5. Illinois 
6. Indiana
7. Iowa 
8. Kansas
9. Kentucky 
10. Louisiana 
11. Maryland 
12. Michigan 
13. Minnesota 
14. Mississippi 
15. Missouri 
16. Montana 
17. Nebraska 
18. New Mexico 
19. New York 
20. North Carolina 
21. North Dakota 
22. Ohio 
23. Oklahoma 
24. Pennsylvania 
25. South Dakota 
26. Tennessee 
27. Texas 
28. Utah 
29. Virginia 
30. West Virginia 
31. Wisconsin 
32. Wyoming 

CWD also has been detected in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Quebec, and Saskatchewan, and Finland, Norway, Sweden, and South Korea. See map of states and provinces affected by CWD. In the U.S., the core endemic area includes contiguous portions of Wyoming, Colorado, and Nebraska. Even in this area, the prevalence varies greatly. In some areas of Wyoming, CWD has been found in up to 40% of free-ranging animals, while in others less than 1% are affected. 

For more information about CWD: 1) visit MyFWC.com/CWD, 2) read the article titled “Reducing the risk of CWD spreading into Florida through requirements on importing deer carcasses,” and 3) check out the following infographics, which are available at MyFWC.com/CWD (under the subhead “Additional Information - Resources”):

• What is CWD? 
• How CWD is transmitted 
• Map of states and provinces affected by CWD 
• Precautions when pursuing or handling deer that may have been exposed to CWD 
• Deer carcass disposal tips 

CWD is not the same as mad cow disease or Classic CJD. All three diseases are in the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) family and can cause related illnesses and brain lesions. However, they are caused by three different prions that can be differentiated from one another in a laboratory.

There may be federal funds for CWD response and the Unified Command is looking into opportunities to apply for funding.

Yes, the CWD Response Plan can be requested by emailing CWD@MyFWC.com.

The CWD Management Zone was created by assessing natural and manmade boundaries near the 15-mile radius from where the first positive deer was found. Roads to the east and west provide easily identifiable borders for law enforcement officers and the public, and I-10 to the south is bordered by high fence and also serves as a recognizable boundary.

Four to six years in hunted areas and up to 10 years in non-hunted areas. Captive deer have lived for 20 years.

Signs of the disease usually appear 1 1/2 to 3 years after initial exposure so deer can be infected and shedding prions (infectious to others) but look normal. Typically, CWD is characterized by extreme weight loss and abnormal behaviors such as listlessness, lowering of the head, inattentiveness toward people, walking in circles, staggering, and standing with a wide stance. Death usually occurs within four months of the onset of clinical signs, although some animals may survive for up to a year. CWD is fatal once the deer is infected. 

Anyone who sees a sick or abnormally thin deer or deer dead of unknown causes, is asked to report its location to the CWD hotline, (866) CWD-WATCH (293-9282). Since 2002, FWC has tested over 18,000 hunter-killed, road-killed, and sick or diseased deer for CWD. Learn more about the FWC’s CWD monitoring program. 

The only practical method for diagnosing CWD is by testing brain stem tissue or lymph nodes from dead animals. There is no practical live-animal test. 

Surveillance for CWD is conducted in two ways. Passive or targeted surveillance involves collecting and conducting a necropsy of any deer found sick or dead of unknown causes. This allows the FWC to monitor for CWD and examine deer for other diseases that could threaten Florida’s deer population. We ask that anyone who sees a sick or abnormally thin deer or deer dead of unknown causes to report its location to the CWD hotline at 866-CWD-WATCH (866-293-9282). 

Active surveillance, which involves testing large numbers of hunter-killed and road-killed deer throughout the state, is the second component of the FWC’s surveillance program. Sample sizes are determined by county based on several risk factors using modeling to predict CWD risk.  

Hunters/landowners are encouraged to assist FWC by allowing sampling of hunter-harvested deer. This can be coordinated by contacting the CWD hotline (866) CWD-WATCH (866-293-9282)

There is no known cure for prion diseases and vaccines have been ineffective. Since the prion is so persistent and stable, treatment or decontamination of the environment is extremely difficult and largely ineffective. 

Members of the deer family can become infected by direct contact or when they ingest prions present in soil that has been contaminated with the feces, urine, saliva, other bodily fluids, or tissues of a CWD-infected animal. The abnormal prions that cause CWD persist in the environment and may remain viable on the landscape and contagious for years. 

There are multiple ways CWD can spread. Locally and regionally, the disease appears to spread naturally through the movement and dispersal of deer and other cervids with CWD. Transporting hunter-killed carcasses with CWD also may spread the disease. Moving infected captive deer, elk, moose and caribou is believed to be one of the primary ways CWD is spread over long distances in North America. 

The likelihood of transmission from a CWD-positive doe to its fawn is very likely, given the fact that the doe and fawn remain in close contact for much of the fawn’s early life. Some studies suggest that transmission of the disease may occur in utero.

No, the deer that tested positive showed no outward indications of CWD infection.

 DNA analysis indicates that the deer that tested positive showed many of the same DNA attributes of other wild deer in the area.

Studies have not definitively determined the percentage of asymptomatic CWD positive deer in wild herds, however, it is known that deer shed prions well before showing symptoms of the disease.

No evidence has been presented to indicate that a possible increase in the local deer population due to modified deer hunting regulations in 2017 led to the increased likelihood of CWD entering Florida.

Currently, there is no scientific evidence that CWD can be transmitted to humans under natural conditions. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention do not recommend consuming meat from animals that test positive for CWD or from any sick animal. The FWC provides information about precautions people should take when pursuing or handling deer that may have been exposed to CWD.

Only six species of the deer family are known to be naturally susceptible to CWD: caribou, elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, reindeer and moose. Several subspecies of Sika deer and red deer hybrids housed in captive cervid facilities in South Korea reportedly contracted CWD from infected elk. It’s not entirely known if other members of the deer family or other wildlife species are susceptible to CWD, although ongoing research is being conducted to learn more. Although disease has been induced in some species not in the deer family, natural infection in other species, including humans, has not been observed. 

There is no evidence that CWD will affect your pet.

Currently, there are no reported cases of natural transmission of CWD from infected elk or deer to domestic non-cervid livestock. However, the disease has been experimentally reproduced in cattle by the direct injection of the infectious agent into their brains. Several investigations are currently underway to further study this question. 

At necropsy, panther brain is examined microscopically for abnormalities such as CWD and it has not been found. Additionally, CWD has not been found in the closely related mountain lion in CWD-positive states nor has been shown to infect carnivores by feeding infected deer.

CWD can impact deer populations; however, CWD has not been detected in deer in the panther’s range. However, it is important to prevent the spread of CWD by moving only deboned meat, cleaned hides, antlers and skull caps with all soft tissues removed from all deer harvested out-of-state or from any area where CWD has been confirmed. More information on CWD and prevention can be found at Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). 

It is impossible to know for sure how many deer have died from CWD, but what scientists do know is that thousands of deer die either directly or indirectly from CWD each year across the nation. 

Currently, tests use samples from the obex area of the brain stem or the medial retropharyngeal lymph nodes.

The time period for test results to come back from the laboratory can vary widely based on a number of factors, especially the volume of samples submitted for testing. The FWC is working to make the time between submission and result as short as possible. Given the limited number of labs and the large quantity of samples provided during hunting season, we ask that hunters allow up to 30 days for results to be processed and to contact CWD@MyFWC.com for questions about a test result. CWD test results can be viewed on our test results page.

To view your CWD tests results, visit our CWD results web application. Please allow up to 30 days before inquiring with FWC about a test result showing as ‘Pending,’ and direct inquiries about a test result to CWD@myFWC.com.

Test results cannot definitively show how long a deer may have been infected with CWD.

The CWD Response Team will set up multiple avenues for hunters to submit samples for testing during hunting season. Anyone who sees or harvests a sick or abnormally thin deer or dead deer, are asked to report its location to the CWD hotline (866) CWD-WATCH (293-9282). The FWC is also working with taxidermists and meat processors in Holmes, Jackson, and Washington counties and providing drop-off freezers for the public to collect samples throughout the hunting season. Locations will be posted as soon as they are finalized.

The FWC is offering CWD testing at no cost to hunters.

Captive cervid facilities within the CWD Management Zone are working closely with FDACS and have expressed a willingness to participate in testing of deer that die or are harvested on their properties.

Yes, although testing soil for CWD is cost-intensive and still considered indeterminate if no prions are found in the sample.

The prevalence of prions in a CWD-positive deer is not measured by CWD tests currently in use.

The tests that are currently performed have a typical accuracy rate above 90%, but no testing process can provide 100% accuracy. The sensitivity and accuracy of the tests, or ability to detect CWD, can vary depending on the quality of the sample and the stage of infection. Two diagnostic tests are currently approved for official CWD post mortem testing in cervids; immunohistochemistry (IHC) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

 Unfortunately, it is very unlikely that the one CWD positive deer was the only one.

We can’t speculate as to how the deer that tested positive for CWD arrived in that location. There are a number of viable modes of transmission, none of which are more likely than the other.

At this time, there is no approved at-home test for CWD.

CWD was first discovered within New York in captive and wild deer in Oneida County in 2005. It has not been detected in New York since that time.

Monitoring deer movement may be considered in the future, but the CWD Response Team is currently not employing this tactic.

Contact the CWD Hotline at (866) CWD-WATCH (293-9282). In order to guard against the spread of CWD, an executive order prohibiting rehabilitating or releasing injured or orphaned white-tailed deer originating within the CWD Management Zone was issued.

Please contact the CWD hotline (866) CWD-WATCH (293-9282) and speak with an FWC representative to evaluate the situation.

 We can’t speculate as to future actions which may be determined by ongoing sampling efforts. It is unlikely that additional CWD positive deer are not present on the landscape.

Current sampling goals call for an estimated 300+ samples from the CWD Management Zone to determine an approximate prevalence of the disease in the area.

Anyone who sees or harvests a sick or abnormally thin deer or deer dead, are asked to report its location to the CWD hotline (866) CWD-WATCH (293-9282).

Once CWD has been established, it is difficult to control and virtually impossible to eradicate. Because prions shed by infected deer persist in the environment, the best chance for managing CWD is acting quickly after it’s been detected to prevent more animals from becoming infected. CWD can be transmitted directly - from animal to animal - or indirectly from the environment. Higher concentrations of deer will increase the likelihood of transmission.  

FWC is employing multiple management strategies to control the spread of the disease. In an executive order signed by FWC Executive Director Roger Young on June 19, 2023, actions include: 

• Establishment of a CWD Management Zone centered around the location of the positive sample. The CWD Management Zone includes the portions of Holmes, Jackson, and Washington counties north of Interstate 10, east of State Road 81 and west of U.S. Highway 231. See graphic. 
• The prohibition of exporting whole cervid (deer) carcasses and high-risk carcass parts originating from the CWD Management Zone 
• The prohibition of baiting or feeding deer within the CWD Management Zone with limited exceptions 
• The prohibition of rehabilitating or releasing injured or orphaned white-tailed deer originating within the CWD Management Zone.

In an executive order signed by FWC Executive Director Roger Young on September 8, 2023, in addition to previously issued rules, new regulations for hunters are in place in the region including:

• A mandatory check station weekend from December 9-10, 2023. During that weekend, all deer harvested in Holmes, Jackson, and Washington counties will be required to be checked at a staffed FWC check station prior to being transported to a possessor’s home, a meat processor, or a taxidermist.
• The take of antlerless deer will be allowed during the entire general gun season in Deer Management Unit (DMU) D2.
• The take of antlerless deer will be allowed during the mandatory check station weekend on December 9-10 in the parts of Holmes, Jackson, and Washington counties located in DMU D1.
• Bag limits and all other antlerless deer season dates will remain unchanged
• These new regulations do not apply to Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs).

FDACS management actions include: 

• Heightened review of transportation permits for intra-state captive cervids to or from captive cervid facilities within the CWD Management Zone. 
• Increased communication with captive cervid facilities in the CWD Management Zone. 

• Quarantine of all captive cervid facilities in the CWD Management Zone. 

To guard against importing CWD from other states, the FWC developed and implemented rules that prohibit importing or possessing whole carcasses or high-risk parts of deer, elk, moose, caribou and all other species of the deer family originating from any place outside of Florida.

Under these rules, people may import into Florida only: 

• De-boned meat 
• Finished taxidermy mounts 
• Clean hides and antlers 
• Skulls, skull caps and teeth if all soft tissue has been removed 

The only exception to this rule is deer harvested from a property bisected by the Florida state line in Alabama or Georgia and under the same ownership can be imported into Florida. See this infographic about the new rules. 

These rules went into effect July 2021, and replaced FWC Executive Order 19-41. They do NOT include the permit option allowed under FWC Executive Order 19-41 to import whole deer or high-risk parts from properties in Georgia or Alabama provided certain requirements are met. 

These rules continued the FWC’s work to protect Florida’s deer populations by reducing the risk of chronic wasting disease (CWD) spreading into the state. In 2005, the FWC prohibited importing into Florida whole deer carcasses and high-risk parts from states where CWD has been detected, and, in 2019, EO 19-41 prohibited importing or possessing carcasses and high-risk parts of all members of the deer family originating from any place outside of Florida with exceptions. To further protect Florida’s wild and captive deer herds, since 2013 it has been illegal to bring live cervids into Florida from any state.  

In addition, the FWC has been testing free-ranging deer for CWD since 2002. During that time, the FWC has tested more than 18,000 hunter-killed, road-killed, and sick or diseased deer for CWD. The FWC has tested deer that display abnormal behavior such as increased drooling, tremors, stumbling, difficulty in swallowing, excessive thirst, or excessive urination, are abnormally thin, or found dead of unknown causes. The FWC also has collected and tested tissue samples from hunter-killed deer that appear healthy as well as road killed deer. 

The FWC has been educating hunters, landowners and the public about CWD for many years and asks that anyone who sees a sick, abnormally thin deer or finds a deer dead from unknown causes call the toll-free CWD hotline, 866-CWD-WATCH (866-293-9282).

Anyone who sees a sick or abnormally thin deer or deer dead of unknown causes, is asked to report its location to the CWD hotline, (866) CWD-WATCH (293-9282).

In an executive order signed by FWC Executive Director Roger Young on September 8, 2023, in addition to previously issued rules, new regulations for hunters are in place in the region including:

• A mandatory check station weekend from December 9-10, 2023. During that weekend, all deer harvested in Holmes, Jackson, and Washington counties will be required to be checked at a staffed FWC check station prior to being transported to a possessor’s home, a meat processor, or a taxidermist.
• The take of antlerless deer will be allowed during the entire general gun season in Deer Management Unit (DMU) D2.
• The take of antlerless deer will be allowed during the mandatory check station weekend on December 9-10 in the parts of Holmes, Jackson, and Washington counties located in DMU D1.
• Bag limits and all other antlerless deer season dates will remain unchanged
• These new regulations do not apply to Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs).

In June 2023, The FWC issued an executive order regarding management actions in response to CWD. The executive order restricts feeding and baiting deer and also places restrictions on movement of whole deer carcass and high risk parts from the prescribed containment zone. Continue to monitor MyFWC.com/CWD for information as it becomes available, or subscribe to FWC information (choose “Hunting” or “Wildlife”) for updates as they are sent.

Hunting leases are not considered licensed Game Farms or licensed Hunt Preserves. Visit the FWC website for more information about game farms and hunt preserves.

Hunters are being asked to support the FWC’s efforts to monitor Florida deer for CWD by voluntarily submitting their deer heads for testing (skull cap and antlers can be removed and kept by the hunter). Hunters can learn more about how they can support FWC’s surveillance efforts by calling the CWD hotline at (866) CWD-WATCH (293-9282). 

In addition, hunters who harvest a sick or extremely skinny deer should avoid handling it and call the CWD hotline at 866-293-9282. An FWC biologist can then collect the deer and take it to a lab to determine the cause of illness in that animal. 

Learn more about CWD and CWD monitoring.

In an executive order signed by FWC Executive Director Roger Young on September 8, 2023, in addition to previously issued rules, new regulations for hunters are in place in the region including:

• A mandatory check station weekend from December 9-10, 2023. During that weekend, all deer harvested in Holmes, Jackson, and Washington counties will be required to be checked at a staffed FWC check station prior to being transported to a possessor’s home, a meat processor, or a taxidermist.
• The take of antlerless deer will be allowed during the entire general gun season in Deer Management Unit (DMU) D2.
• The take of antlerless deer will be allowed during the mandatory check station weekend on December 9-10 in the parts of Holmes, Jackson, and Washington counties located in DMU D1.
• Bag limits and all other antlerless deer season dates will remain unchanged
• These new regulations do not apply to Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs).

In an executive order signed by FWC Executive Director Roger Young on June 19, 2023, new regulations for hunters are in place in the region including: 

• Establishment of a CWD Management Zone centered around the location of the positive sample. The CWD Management Zone includes the portions of Holmes, Jackson, and Washington counties north of Interstate 10, east of State Road 81 and west of U.S. Highway 231. See graphic. 
• The prohibition of exporting whole cervid (deer) carcasses and high-risk carcass parts originating from the CWD Management Zone 
• The prohibition of baiting or feeding deer within the CWD Management Zone with limited exceptions 

Previous to detection, to guard against importing CWD from other states, the FWC developed and implemented regulations related to transporting hunter-harvested deer, elk and moose from CWD-infected states to guard against importing CWD from other states. 

The FWC created rules which are still in effect that prohibit importing or possessing whole carcasses or high-risk parts of deer, elk, moose, caribou and all other species of the deer family originating from any place outside of Florida. 

Under these rules, people may import into Florida only: 

• De-boned meat 
• Finished taxidermy mounts 
• Clean hides and antlers 
• Skulls, skull caps and teeth if all soft tissue has been removed 

The only exception to this rule is deer harvested from a property in Georgia or Alabama that is bisected by the Florida state line and under the same ownership can be imported into Florida. See this infographic about the new rules. 

These rules went into effect July 2021, and replaced FWC Executive Order 19-41. They do NOT include the permit option allowed under FWC Executive Order 19-41 to import whole deer or high-risk parts from properties in Georgia or Alabama provided certain requirements are met. 

In addition, it is illegal to bring live cervids into Florida, from any state to further protect Florida’s wild and captive deer herds. Learn more about transportation regulations. 

While research has shown that prions may be present in a wide variety of tissues and body fluids, including blood and muscle, they are most prevalent in the brain, eyes, spinal cord, lymph nodes, tonsils and spleen. Thus, it is recommended that hunters bone out harvested deer in the field and take extra precautions when handling organs where prions are most likely to accumulate. The FWC provides information about precautions people should take when pursuing or handling deer that may have been exposed to CWD.

There is currently no evidence that CWD is transmissible to humans. However, public health officials recommend that human exposure to the CWD agent be avoided as they continue to research the disease. Accordingly, hunters are advised not to eat meat from animals known to be infected with CWD. Remember, while disease testing is an important tool for detecting CWD, it is not a food safety test.

Prions are most concentrated in the brain, spinal cord, lymph glands, tonsils, eyes, and spleen. To minimize the risk of exposure to potentially contaminated tissues, wear latex or rubber gloves when handling game and bone out all meat. Avoid sawing through bone where possible (particularly the spinal column), and do not cut through edible portions of meat with a blade used to cut bone. Additionally, remove as much fatty tissue as possible. Many lymph glands are located in fat deposits under the skin and between muscle layers. 

Prions are resistant to disinfection. It’s recommended that hunters wishing to disinfect home butchering equipment clean all surfaces with a 50/50 solution of chlorine bleach and water. When working with bleach, work in a well-ventilated environment.

The carcass of a deer with CWD can expose other deer to the disease. Proper disposal can reduce the risk. Learn more about proper carcass disposal. 

The new executive order prohibits the export of whole cervid (deer) carcasses and high-risk carcass parts originating from the CWD Management Zone.

Commercial operators should completely bone out the animal and keep the meat separate from other processed game. Lymph glands should be removed prior to grinding the meat.  

If you remove the skull cap with antlers attached, the saw should be cleaned and disinfected with a 50/50 solution of chlorine bleach and water. This saw should not be used to cut through any edible portions of meat on the carcass.

If you keep the entire skull (for a European mount), you should ensure all flesh and soft tissue, including brain matter, is removed. While wearing rubber or latex gloves, clean the skull by soaking it for 30 minutes in a 50/50 solution of chlorine bleach and water. Then thoroughly rinse the skull with water. Always work in a well-ventilated environment when using bleach.

Learn more about carcass transportation regulations.

If you wish to have your animal tested for CWD, contact (866) CWD-WATCH (293-9282) for information regarding appropriate procedures and submission locations. In order for hunters to receive their results, The deer must be marked with the confirmation number obtained through harvest reporting. More information at our website.

Hunters who see or harvest a sick or abnormally thin deer or deer dead of unknown causes, are asked to report its location to the CWD hotline, (866) CWD-WATCH (293-9282).

FWC officers are focused on voluntary compliance to maximize the effectiveness of the unified CWD response. Education is a key component to enforcing new regulations. However, violating the executive order is the same as many other hunting-related violations - a second-degree misdemeanor.

Wildlife managers are taking a deliberative approach to initial emergency measures to address the spread of CWD. The FWC will continue to monitor testing results and if additional measures are necessary, they will be implemented. For now, increasing the opportunities to take antlerless deer in DMU-D2 will provide additional samples for testing.

Because hunting pressure varies greatly from one WMA to another, they are each regulated separately. 

If a harvested deer has been tested and a result of “CWD Not Detected” is returned, extra disinfection of equipment or deer parts is not necessary.

If a harvested deer has been tested and a result of “CWD Detected” is returned, contact (866) CWD-WATCH (293-9282) for information regarding appropriate disposal procedures.

When a deer harvest is reported by a hunter, a confirmation number associated with that deer will be provided. When test results are returned for the sample associated with that confirmation number, a notification will be sent to the hunter. Hunters can also view their test results on our CWD test web application. We ask that hunters allow up to 30 days for results to be processed and to contact CWD@MyFWC.com for questions about a test result.

If a harvested deer has been tested and a result of “CWD Detected” is returned, contact (866) CWD-WATCH (293-9282) for information regarding appropriate disposal procedures.

The efficacy of deer repellent may not be enough to ensure that a hog feeder does not attract deer. The executive order specifically prohibits the feeding/baiting of deer.

If a harvested deer has been tested and a result of “CWD Not Detected” is returned, deer parts can be disposed of in household waste pickup. No notification is necessary.

If a harvested deer has been tested and a result of “CWD Detected” is returned, contact (866) CWD-WATCH (293-9282) for information regarding appropriate disposal procedures.

Visit our website for resources on precautions for meat processors when handling deer that may have been exposed to CWD.

No, boned out meat can be transported outside the CWD Management Zone for processing.

Find general information about deer depredation permits.

If you kill a deer on your property using your deer depredation permit, when you call 888-404-3922 to deactivate the permit, let the duty officer know if you have any deer to be picked up for testing so an FWC employee can come to safely collect the head or entire deer carcass for testing. 

Yes, the FWC will send an employee to your property to safely collect the entire deer carcass for testing and disposal. When you call 888-404-3922 to deactivate the permit, tell the duty officer if you have any deer to be picked up for testing. 

The FWC is encouraging increased sample collection within the tri-county area (Holmes, Jackson and Washington counties north of Interstate I0, east of State Road 81 and west of U.S. Highway 23). Once you have used all your initial tags, contact the Landowner Assistance Program at the Northwest Regional Office at 850-265-3676 to receive additional tags under your permit. 

Landowners are crucial to the success of the CWD response efforts. While sample submission is not required at this time, it benefits everyone to be a part of increased monitoring to determine how far CWD may have spread into Florida. Deer taken under this permit may be removed and possessed off the permitted property, except carcass parts prohibited by the permit or new executive order, provided the deer is tagged with a valid depredating deer tag issued by the Commission. The carcass of such a deer, minus head and antlers, may be processed for personal use. The new executive order prohibits exporting whole cervid (deer) carcasses and high-risk carcass parts originating from the CWD Management Zone. 

The FWC asks that ALL deer harvested in the CWD Management Zone be submitted to the agency for testing and encourages people to wait to get the results back before consuming the meat. 

Yes, please review these precautions when pursuing or handling deer that may have been exposed to CWD and contact an FWC representative at 888-404-3922 for a drop off location and instructions for carcass disposal. 

In an executive order signed by FWC Executive Director Roger Young on June 19, 2023, actions include: 

• Establishment of a CWD Management Zone centered around the location of the positive sample. The CWD Management Zone includes the portions of Holmes, Jackson, and Washington counties north of Interstate 10, east of State Road 81 and west of U.S. Highway 231. See graphic. 
• The prohibition of rehabilitating or releasing injured or orphaned white-tailed deer originating within the CWD Management Zone.  

FDACS management actions include: 

• Heightened review of transportation permits for intra-state captive cervids to or from captive cervid facilities within the CWD Management Zone. 
• Increased communication with captive cervid facilities in the CWD Management Zone. 
• Quarantine of all captive cervid facilities in the CWD Management Zone. 

Please contact FDACS for more information regarding the transportation of live cervids. 

If you wish to have your animal tested for CWD, contact (866) CWD-WATCH (293-9282) for information regarding appropriate procedures and submission locations. 

In an executive order signed by FWC Executive Director Roger Young on June 19, 2023, actions include: 

• Establishment of a CWD Management Zone centered around the location of the positive sample. The CWD Management Zone includes the portions of Holmes, Jackson, and Washington counties north of Interstate 10, east of State Road 81 and west of U.S. Highway 231. See graphic. 
• The prohibition of rehabilitating or releasing injured or orphaned white-tailed deer originating within the CWD Management Zone.  

FDACS management actions include: 

• Heightened review of transportation permits for intra-state captive cervids to or from captive cervid facilities within the CWD Management Zone. 
• Increased communication with captive cervid facilities in the CWD Management Zone. 
• Quarantine of all captive cervid facilities in the CWD Management Zone. 

The FWC is working closely FDACS and other state and federal partners to monitor the spread of CWD in the area, determine the extent of the spread and limit it.

On September 8, the FWC issued a new executive order outlining new hunting regulations designed to increase sampling and slow the spread of CWD in Florida deer. These regulations include a mandatory check station weekend from December 9-10, 2023. During that weekend, all deer harvested in Holmes, Jackson, and Washington counties will be required to be checked at a staffed FWC check station prior to being transported to a possessor’s home, a meat processor, or a taxidermist. These regulations will also allow the take of antlerless deer during the entire general gun season in Deer Management Unit (DMU) D2 and during the mandatory check station weekend on December 9-10 in the parts of Holmes, Jackson, and Washington counties located in DMU D1. Bag limits and all other antlerless deer season dates will remain unchanged, and these regulations do not apply to Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs).

The FWC is in the process of finalizing check station locations for the mandatory check station weekend on December 9-10 and will release more information as soon as it is available.

No, all bag limits and antlerless deer season dates will remain the same. Currently, the daily bag limit is 2 deer, and the annual bag limit is 5 deer, of which only 2 can be antlerless. Learn more about hunting season dates and bag limits.

Any deer that tests positive for CWD will need to be given to FWC staff for proper disposal, but it will not count towards your bag limit.

CWD response is an ongoing process. Depending on a number of factors, including any additional detection, new regulations designed to slow the spread of CWD may be in effect for some time, but a definitive time period cannot be determined.

At this time, the FWC does not envision any additional costs for hunters as a result of CWD being detected in Florida.

FWC officers will be enforcing all regulations pertaining to hunting regulations and any new executive orders in the same manner they would any other time. FWC officers will be using education as well as enforcement as an important tool to reach CWD response objectives and protect against the spread of CWD.

Yes, hunters will be allowed to take antlerless deer during the entire general gun season in Deer Management Unit (DMU) D2 and during the mandatory check station weekend on December 9-10 in the parts of Holmes, Jackson, and Washington counties located in DMU D1. Bag limits and all other antlerless deer season dates will remain unchanged, and these regulations do not apply to Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs). View a map of our Deer Management Units.

The FWC has not had any discussions on fees related to feeding (baiting) deer and there are absolutely no plans to charge a fee for this activity in the future.

The current prohibition on feeding deer is strictly intended to reduce any additional, unnatural congregation of deer that could potentially increase CWD transmission in the area. The FWC has had a long history of supporting the legal, supplemental feeding of deer and we hope to maintain this support while having the least amount of impact on as few people as possible with CWD management actions.

All deer harvested from December 9-10, 2023, in Holmes, Jackson, and Washington counties will be required to be checked at a staffed FWC check station prior to being transported to a possessor’s home, a meat processor, or a taxidermist.

Yes. Visit our website for resources on precautions for meat processors when handling deer that may have been exposed to CWD.

Yes.

If it can be demonstrated that the hog pen cannot be accessed by deer, then it would comply with the executive order.

Yes, normal hunting regulations apply outside the CWD Management Zone.

The FWC’s goal is to make sample drop off as convenient as possible for hunters in the CWD Management Zone. While the final number has not yet been determined, we hope that drop off locations will be prevalent enough to require a maximum 15 minute drive for hunters.

This modification to the hunting regulations is currently being considered.

 If there are deer currently being rehabilitated in the management zone, the permittee should contact their captive wildlife investigator.

We can’t speculate about what the rules will be if the management zone is expanded. Likely, the rules will be similar to those currently in place for the management zone.

 The current executive order does not differentiate between deer with detected or not-detected test results. Transporting high-risk parts out of the CWD Management Zone for any deer is currently prohibited. The CWD Response Team may revisit this prohibition in the future.

The executive order prohibits the feeding or baiting of deer. Granulated minerals used for fertilizing crops would not be prohibited.