SPECIAL RESTRICTIONS IN THE CWD SURVEILLANCE ZONE
What special regulations apply to the 5-county CWD surveillance zone?
• No baiting or wildlife feeding
Prohibited: ◦Feeders holding or distributing foods or attractants for wildlife ingestion
◦Grain, salt or mineral shall not be used
Allowed: ◦Normal agricultural practices (including mineral blocks in active cattle pastures)
◦Food plots for wildlife
◦Hanging bird feeders used within the curtilage of the home (yard)
◦Scents and deer urine-based products
Update to Hunting Guide
•  Spe​cial Restrictions
•  Hunter C​hecklist​​
• Mandatory deer check stations: All deer harvested in the CWD surveillance zone during modern gun or muzzleloader seasons must be taken to a check station, regardless of method of take. License exempt hunters, such as landowners hunting on their own property, must check their deer as well. This requirement is in effect Oct. 16-17 (early muzzleloader season), Nov. 13-28 (modern gun season) and Dec. 11-19 (late muzzleloader season). Check station locations are listed below.
CWD Check Stations
Check Station Locations Map
Check Stations Locations Table
• Carcass tags are required regardless of where it was harvested: Any deer, elk, moose or caribou carcass being moved within or through the 5-county CWD surveillance zone must have a carcass tag visible from the outside with hunter/possessor information legibly shown.
The tag must display the following:
◦Species and sex of the animal
◦County and state of origin
◦Date harvested or obtained
◦Hunter's name and phone number with area code (and the same information of the person in possession of the carcass, if different from hunter's)
◦Telecheck or hunter check-in confirmation number. (Hunters must possess properly completed harvest log for any deer harvested in Kentucky but not yet telechecked.)
Carcass tags can be homemade, must be attached to the animal carcass, and must be large enough to be clearly legible. Hunters are reminded that whole carcasses, uncleaned skulls or spinal columns of deer, elk, moose or caribou harvested in another state cannot be brought into Kentucky from outside. View our Carcass Tag Example for a printable option.
• Carcass transportation restrictions:
Prohibited: Entire carcasses, uncleaned skulls, spines, or bone-in quarters of deer harvested within the 5-county surveillance zone may not be taken outside of the zone.
Allowed: De-boned meat, antlers, antlers attached to a clean skull plate, a clean skull, clean teeth, hides, and finished taxidermy products may be taken out of the surveillance zone. Carcasses of deer or elk harvested elsewhere in Kentucky may be transported into the surveillance zone.
For detailed information on how to complete and attach the carcass tag, watch this video.
Why stop baiting and feeding in the 5-county CWD surveillance zone?
Concentrating deer at particular sites can speed up the spread and intensity of disease. Deer cannot be vaccinated against CWD, so adding a vaccine to bait is not an option or solution.
Infected deer can spread the prions that cause CWD throughout the landscape. CWD prions trigger abnormal reactions in brain cells of deer, elk and other cervids.
Prions are highly resistant to destruction and normal means of disinfection do not work. They can survive on the landscape for years, therefore it is important not to congregate animals and increase the concentration of prions because the risk of transmission to other animals increases.
The best way to stop the spread of prions is keeping infected deer contained and minimizing concentration of animals.
Prohibited baiting includes putting out grains, minerals and salt. Scents and deer urine-based products used in hunting are still allowed.
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