Due to the regular amending of regulations in North Dakota, it is recommended that before hunting you check these CWD regulations, as well as those of any other states or provinces in which you will be hunting or traveling through while transporting cervid carcasses. The contact information for North Dakota can be seen below:
State Board of Animal Health; Contact
Dr. Beth Carlson, (701)328-2654. North Dakota Game & Fish: Contact
Dr. Dan Grove, , (701) 202-0775
North Dakota Game and Fish Department
Standard Regulations
Facilities must be approved prior to ownership of deer and elk, and deer owners must obtain a non-traditional livestock license. Captive cervids must meet standards of risk assessment. Must be free of all contagious and infectious disease. Genetic testing (for purity) required for elk in ND zones 1 & 2. Animals must not be infected with or exposed to Johne's disease. Must be negative to two official brucellosis tests, one being the CF. Whole herd TB test within 12 months. In lieu of testing, Brucellosis-free and TB-free herd status is recognized. Annual inventory reports required for all cervids. Deer must be individually identified with USDA silver tag by 12 months of age, and elk by 24 months of age. Additional restricitons apply to reindeer, red deer, and red deer/elk hybrids.
CWD Regulations for Captive Cervids and Wildlife
For importation: Must complete CWD 5-Year Risk Assessment Questionnaire (or have 5 year status) and fax to Board of Animal Health prior to entry permit issuance; cervids and originating herds must have no history of emaciation, depression, excessive salivation or thirst, or neurological disease. If symptoms arise, diagnostic measures must be taken to rule out a TSE.
New CWD Regulations in Development
N/A
CWD Testing Program For Captive Cervids
Board of Animal Health has mandatory inventory (since 1993). CWD testing was mandatory (since 1998) for farmed elk, white-tailed deer and mule deer over 12 months of age that die for any reason. As of November 1, 2013, over 9900 farmed deer and elk have been tested, with no evidence of CWD. As of October 2017 participation in the CWD testing program has become voluntary.
CWD Testing Program For Wildlife
ND Game & Fish Department has conducted Targeted Surveillance of free-ranging cervids since 1996. Hunter-harvested deer and elk surveillance began in 2002. As of April 1 2017, >24,000 whitetail and mule deer, >1100 elk, and >450 moose have been tested. Nine positive cases have been found; one each in 2009, 2010, and 2011 and 2 each in 2013, 2014 ansd 2016. The first positve was harvested in Sioux County in 2009. Eight have since been harvested and found in Grant County. 8/9 were mule deer and 1 was a white-tailed deer.
Baiting Banned?
Deer Hunting Units 3E1, 3E2, 3F1, 3F2, 3C west of the Missouri River
Feeding Banned?
Banned in State Wildlife Management Areas and Federal Lands.
Ban On Movement of Animal Parts?
08/27/03: Ban on importation of whole carcasses and carcass parts of white-tailed deer, mule deer and elk from areas within states or provinces with documented occurrences of CWD in wild populations and private game farms. Hunters may import the following parts: meat that is cut and wrapped (commercially or privately), quarters or other portions of meat with no part of spinal column or head attached, boned out meat, hides without heads attached, clean (no meat or tissue attached) skull plates with antlers attached, antlers with no meat or tissue attached, upper canine teeth (buglers, whistlers, or ivories), and finished taxidermy heads.
CWD Found in Captive Cervids?
No
CWD Found In Free Ranging Cervids?
Yes