Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks to host mule deer and CWD briefing

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) will host an informational session regarding mule deer populations and Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) on Wednesday, September 23, at the FWP Region 2 office in Missoula.

The briefing will be divided into two parts. Biologists will first present recent population surveys, long-term trends, and expectations for the upcoming fall hunting season. Following this, wildlife health biologist Bevin McCormick will provide an update on CWD, a fatal neurological illness caused by infectious prions that affects deer, elk, and moose.

While detections in west-central Montana remain low, officials emphasize the importance of continued surveillance due to higher prevalence in other parts of the state. FWP is encouraging hunters to assist in monitoring efforts by submitting harvested animals for testing at regional stations. Officials also noted that illegal carcass dumping is prohibited and advised that high-risk parts, such as the brain and spinal cord, must be disposed of in approved landfills or left at the kill site.