Kentuckians who participate in hunting during the holidays in other states need to take note of a new policy regarding deer harvesting. Officials with State Fish and Wildlife Resources this week restricted the transportation of deer into the Commonwealth, due to concerns about chronic wasting disease.
The fatal deer disease has been found in six of the seven states surrounding Kentucky.
Fish and Wildlife Deputy Commissioner Karen Waldrop says infected dead deer a pose risk to the state’s overall deer herd. “You bring it back, you clean it and you dump the carcass on the back 40 of your farm. Well, then it can get into the environment that way. Up through the vegetation and it could be potentially spread to our deer in the Commonwealth by feeding on that vegetation,” said Waldrop.
Deer in Tennessee recently tested positive for chronic wasting disease, bringing the number of total states seeing the disease to 26.
The statement from the state department says deer can only be brought into Kentucky if the deer’s spinal cord and brain have been removed first. There’s no evidence to suggest the disease poses a risk to humans or domestic pets.
