In response to CWD discovery, white-tailed deer licenses increased for Flathead Valley

The number of antlerless white-tailed deer hunting licenses will be increased in the Flathead Valley's Hunting District 170 following the detection of chronic wasting disease.

Montana Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Patrick Tabor OK'd the request to increase the number of 170-00 Deer B licenses for individual hunters to two, according to a Fish, Wildlife and Parks press release. Previously, hunters were allowed to purchase one. 

The additional licenses are available to purchase over the counter effective immediately. The general deer and elk hunting season opens Saturday, Oct. 26. 

This week CWD was detected in a white-tailed deer at the Flathead County landfill. This is the first time the fatal disease has been detected in a wild herd in Hunting District 170, which encompasses the Flathead Valley.

The 170-00 Deer B License allows hunters in Hunting District 170 to harvest a white-tailed deer without antlers or with antlers less than 4 inches long as measured from the top of the skull. 

The state wildlife agency says it is increasing harvest opportunity in the district to assess the prevalence of CWD in the area. The state's CWD management plan is intended to monitor, control and prevent the spread of CWD among wild deer, elk and moose populations.

All hunters in HD 170 are encouraged to get their harvested deer and elk tested for CWD. Hunters can bring their harvested animal to the FWP office in Kalispell, Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. for sample collection during the general hunting season. Visit FWP’s website for more details on how and where to get harvested animals tested.

The state strongly recommends that hunters receive a negative CWD test result before bringing their deer, elk or moose to a meat processor or donating it to a food bank. While it is not a requirement, FWP is asking hunters to have a negative CWD test result in hand before bringing their animal to a processor for donation.

If the animal tests positive for CWD, wildlife officials will advise the hunter on proper carcass and meat disposal and give instructions on how to request a replacement license. 

The disease is a contagious neurological disease that infects members of the deer family, including elk, moose, mule deer and white-tailed deer. It is always fatal, and there is no known cure. It was first detected in Montana’s wild herds in 2017.

There is no known transmission of CWD to humans. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that hunters harvesting a deer, elk or moose from an area where CWD is known to be present have their animal tested for CWD prior to consuming the meat and do not consume the meat if the animal tests positive.

For more information on CWD, go to fwp.mt.gov/cwd.