Chronic wasting disease detected in deer on Flathead Indian Reservation for first time

The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes on Tuesday confirmed a case of chronic wasting disease in the Hog Heaven Wildlife Mangement Unit east of Elmo.

Since 2017 the fatal neurological condition has been found in over 1,600 deer, elk and moose across Montana, but this is the first confirmation of the disease on the Flathead Indian Reservation. 

Officials identified the case after a hunter submitted a carcass as part of voluntary sampling protocols. The CSKT Division of Fish, Wildlife, Recreation and Conservation has suggested testing for all game animals harvested from the Hog Heaven area since 2019, when a chronic wasting disease case was confirmed 40 miles north of the Flathead Indian Reservation. Testing at the state laboratory confirmed the presence of the disease in the sample on Jan. 6. 

“We’re going to do everything in our power to keep it off the reservation,” said Natural Resources Department head Richard Janssen Jr. 

Chronic wasting disease is highly contagious and can spread quickly through animal-to-animal contact, including contact with infected carcasses.  

Tribal wildlife officials plan to test an additional 150 samples from mule deer in the Hog Heaven Wildlife Management Unit and surrounding areas to determine if the disease has spread. 

Janssen urged hunters to continue to use carcass disposal sites and sample collection sites operated by state or tribal authorities.  

Since July 2024, hunters have contributed 8,624 samples to state testing efforts, resulting in the positive identification of 335 cases. A dozen samples from Hunting District 170, which includes much of the Flathead Valley, have tested positive for chronic wasting disease this season. Those cases were isolated to the Flathead County landfill property where state wildlife officials have begun euthanizing white-tailed deer that come onto the site.

There are no known cases of chronic wasting disease transmission to humans, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention encourage hunters to test all animals from locations where it is known to occur and discourage eating any meat from infected animals.  

Reporter Hailey Smalley can be reached at hsmalley@dailyinterlake.com.