CWD Officially Confirmed in WA

[follow maggie]

That would be awesome

[bearpaw]

So if you drew a bull moose tag in the NE corner this year then you're supposed to just leave the head and antlers? Ya right...

You just need to bone the meat then skin and clean the skull plate before you leave the area.
It's not that hard, we have done dozens of elk and deer in Utah on the spot so hunters can take their meat and trophies home.



https://wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/diseases/chronic-wasting/surveillance-program#prevent

To reduce the risk of spreading CWD, if you harvest or salvage deer, elk, moose, or caribou in another state, province, or country, regardless of whether or not CWD is known to be present there, or within the 100 series GMUs, only the following items may be imported to Washington and to areas outside of the 100 series GMUs:

 - Meat that has been de-boned in the state or province where it was harvested and is imported as boned-out meat

 - Skulls and antlers (with velvet removed), antlers attached to the skull plate, or upper canine teeth (bugler, whistlers, ivories) from which all soft tissue has been removed

 - Hides or capes without heads attached

 - Tissue imported for use by a diagnostic or research laboratory

 - Finished taxidermy mounts

[Bob33]

So if you drew a bull moose tag in the NE corner this year then you're supposed to just leave the head and antlers? Ya right...

You just need to bone the meat then skin and clean the skull before you leave the area.
It's not that hard, we have done dozens of elk and deer in Utah on the spot so hunters can take their meat and trophies home.



https://wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/diseases/chronic-wasting/surveillance-program#prevent

To reduce the risk of spreading CWD, if you harvest or salvage deer, elk, moose, or caribou in another state, province, or country, regardless of whether or not CWD is known to be present there, or within the 100 series GMUs, only the following items may be imported to Washington and to areas outside of the 100 series GMUs:

 - Meat that has been de-boned in the state or province where it was harvested and is imported as boned-out meat

 - Skulls and antlers (with velvet removed), antlers attached to the skull plate, or upper canine teeth (bugler, whistlers, ivories) from which all soft tissue has been removed

 - Hides or capes without heads attached

 - Tissue imported for use by a diagnostic or research laboratory

 - Finished taxidermy mounts

Dale, I don't see how it would be legal to take a cleaned skull. The only part that can be taken is boned out meat as I read it.

"Effective Aug. 23, 2024, it is illegal to transport deer, elk, or moose, or parts thereof, taken from within the 100 series GMUs in areas that require a Washington state hunting license, to other areas of Washington state.  This excludes meat that has been deboned in the state or province where it was harvested and is imported as boned-out meat, or meat that has been deboned within 100 series GMUs and is transported as boned-out meat to other areas of the state."

[bearpaw]

So if you drew a bull moose tag in the NE corner this year then you're supposed to just leave the head and antlers? Ya right...

You just need to bone the meat then skin and clean the skull plate before you leave the area.
It's not that hard, we have done dozens of elk and deer in Utah on the spot so hunters can take their meat and trophies home.



https://wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/diseases/chronic-wasting/surveillance-program#prevent

To reduce the risk of spreading CWD, if you harvest or salvage deer, elk, moose, or caribou in another state, province, or country, regardless of whether or not CWD is known to be present there, or within the 100 series GMUs, only the following items may be imported to Washington and to areas outside of the 100 series GMUs:

 - Meat that has been de-boned in the state or province where it was harvested and is imported as boned-out meat

 - Skulls and antlers (with velvet removed), antlers attached to the skull plate, or upper canine teeth (bugler, whistlers, ivories) from which all soft tissue has been removed

 - Hides or capes without heads attached

 - Tissue imported for use by a diagnostic or research laboratory

 - Finished taxidermy mounts

Dale, I don't see how it would be legal to take a cleaned skull. The only part that can be taken is boned out meat as I read it.

"Effective Aug. 23, 2024, it is illegal to transport deer, elk, or moose, or parts thereof, taken from within the 100 series GMUs in areas that require a Washington state hunting license, to other areas of Washington state.  This excludes meat that has been deboned in the state or province where it was harvested and is imported as boned-out meat, or meat that has been deboned within 100 series GMUs and is transported as boned-out meat to other areas of the state."

Thank you, you are correct, I meant to say skull plate.

[High Climber]

So if you drew a bull moose tag in the NE corner this year then you're supposed to just leave the head and antlers? Ya right...

You just need to bone the meat then skin and clean the skull plate before you leave the area.
It's not that hard, we have done dozens of elk and deer in Utah on the spot so hunters can take their meat and trophies home.



https://wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/diseases/chronic-wasting/surveillance-program#prevent

To reduce the risk of spreading CWD, if you harvest or salvage deer, elk, moose, or caribou in another state, province, or country, regardless of whether or not CWD is known to be present there, or within the 100 series GMUs, only the following items may be imported to Washington and to areas outside of the 100 series GMUs:

 - Meat that has been de-boned in the state or province where it was harvested and is imported as boned-out meat

 - Skulls and antlers (with velvet removed), antlers attached to the skull plate, or upper canine teeth (bugler, whistlers, ivories) from which all soft tissue has been removed

 - Hides or capes without heads attached

 - Tissue imported for use by a diagnostic or research laboratory

 - Finished taxidermy mounts

Dale, I don't see how it would be legal to take a cleaned skull. The only part that can be taken is boned out meat as I read it.

"Effective Aug. 23, 2024, it is illegal to transport deer, elk, or moose, or parts thereof, taken from within the 100 series GMUs in areas that require a Washington state hunting license, to other areas of Washington state.  This excludes meat that has been deboned in the state or province where it was harvested and is imported as boned-out meat, or meat that has been deboned within 100 series GMUs and is transported as boned-out meat to other areas of the state."

Thank you, you are correct, I meant to say skull plate.

Gents Dale had it right the first time. You can bring a skull as long as all soft tissue has been removed.   

[High Climber]

.

[6haase6]

So if you drew a bull moose tag in the NE corner this year then you're supposed to just leave the head and antlers? Ya right...

You just need to bone the meat then skin and clean the skull plate before you leave the area.
It's not that hard, we have done dozens of elk and deer in Utah on the spot so hunters can take their meat and trophies home.



https://wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/diseases/chronic-wasting/surveillance-program#prevent

To reduce the risk of spreading CWD, if you harvest or salvage deer, elk, moose, or caribou in another state, province, or country, regardless of whether or not CWD is known to be present there, or within the 100 series GMUs, only the following items may be imported to Washington and to areas outside of the 100 series GMUs:

 - Meat that has been de-boned in the state or province where it was harvested and is imported as boned-out meat

 - Skulls and antlers (with velvet removed), antlers attached to the skull plate, or upper canine teeth (bugler, whistlers, ivories) from which all soft tissue has been removed

 - Hides or capes without heads attached

 - Tissue imported for use by a diagnostic or research laboratory

 - Finished taxidermy mounts

Also plenty of taxidermist in the region.

[TriggerMike]

.

I believe the emergency rule from August 23rd supercedes what is currently on that page. I expect that page will eventually change. As the rule is currently written now, you're only allowed to remove deboned meat from those units, at least until/if they clarify it to allow antlers to be moved, which I doubt they will because they don't trust WA hunters to not spread the brain matter around the state. My comment was mostly in jest because I can't imagine people caring enough about this rule to not bring their antlers home, especially obviously on a OIL hunt. The only thing that has been constant about CWD in North America so far is you can't stop the spread. Sacrificing the antlers from your OIL tag for something that is likely inevitable seems crazy to me.

The thing about CWD is it can live on something like your knife blade for a very long time, even if you clean it. You can shoot a white tail in mid October in the NE corner, field dress that animal and take nothing but the deboned meat home and then go elk hunting on the Westside in early November and kill an elk and be spreading any potential CWD prions from that knife all over that GMU. Or any prions that may have gotten picked up in the tread of your boots from walking on infected soil, that will get all over your yard or anywhere else you walk, such as another GMU. Soil can stay infected for as long as two years, even decades in some studies. We are well past the point of wasting money on surveillance, they need to invest all future money into curing the disease in ungulates while they're still alive and making sure it can't jump to humans.

[High Climber]

Not trying to play “gotcha” here, but I think it’s still ok to transport clean skulls. This is from the August 23rd rule, maybe they just added this in but as it stands now looks like a guy can bring his heads home.   

[baldopepper]

Not trying to play “gotcha” here, but I think it’s still ok to transport clean skulls. This is from the August 23rd rule, maybe they just added this in but as it stands now looks like a guy can bring his heads home.   

The confusing thing, is that  rcw pertains to out of state transports coming into Washington.  It doesn't seem to pertain to intra state transport as outlined in the emergency ruling.  Obviously we need some clarification from wdfw.

[6haase6]

Pretty much treat region 1 like it is not part of idaho.

[baldopepper]

Just called the region one office.  Told me they noticed the confusion and are now changing the rule such that the out of state importation rules will also apply to intrastate units.  Therefore cleaned skull caps, etc will be legal to transport out of the 100 units. Sounds like they will be putting added enforcement in place to enforce the restrictions.

[6haase6]

Pretty much treat region 1 like it is not part of idaho.

Meant now instead of not 

[GOcougsHunter]

So, I am assuming that it is ok to transport everything within the 100 series units.  Like moving a harvested elk from the Blues to Spokane even with bones in.

[baldopepper]

So, I am assuming that it is ok to transport everything within the 100 series units.  Like moving a harvested elk from the Blues to Spokane even with bones in.

Well, I'd think that would be ok, but personally I'd ask first.  Maybe that will be part of the clarification they will be releasing.  Lady I talked to when I called seemed quite knowledgeable on it, was very pleasant to talk to and said if any further questions don't hesitate to call. Not sure how forgiving they're gonna be on infractions so better to not just guess about what you can or can't do