Due to the regular amending of regulations in Rhode Island, 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 Rhode Island can be seen below:
Last update was October 2021
Click a section to expand:
Standard Regulations
7/15/05 regulation: Prohibit importation of all captive and wild cervids from CWD endemic areas, & captives from a CWD free status herd (5+ years) herd (replaces previous moratorium). Additional regulations: Must originate from a federally accredited TB free herd; negative anaplasmosis/blue-tongue test (within 30 days of import) still apply.
CWD Regulations for Captive Cervids and Wildlife
7/15/05: regulation: Prohibit importation of all captive and wild cervids from CWD endemic areas, & captives from a CWD free status herd (5+ years) herd (replaces previous moratorium). (Previous regulations: Require proof that there is no current or past history of contact with or exposure to any potential CWD animals or states affected by CWD.)
New CWD Regulations in Development
N/A
CWD Testing Program For Captive Cervids
Test all captive cervids over 16 months that die (including slaughter), require perimeter fencing preventing ingress/egress of cervids, annual herd inventory, designation of herd status, must report herd additions.
CWD Testing Program For Wildlife
Have conducted stratified random and targeted surveillance since 2002. Current target is for the collection of 190 random samples as well as any suspect deer. To date we have tested 2020 deer all which tested negetive. We have focused on hunter killed deer (approximately 160 annually) and random collections (road kills approximately 30 annually) to develop our sample.
Baiting Banned?
Baiting prohibited.
Feeding Banned?
No person shall feed cervids at anytime unless part of a bona fide research, bona fide agricultural practices, wildlife food plots, brush cutting or bird feeding from elevated feeders within 100 feet of a dwelling.
Ban On Movement of Animal Parts?
Permanent regulations 7/14/05: No person shall import or posses brain, eyes, spinal cord, lymph nodes, tonsils or spleen of any cervid from a CWD endemic area or from a captive herd.
CWD Found in Captive Cervids?
No
CWD Found In Free Ranging Cervids?
No