Colorado CWD Regulations

Due to the regular amending of regulations in Colorado, 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 Colorado can be seen below:

Last update was October 2021

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[accordion tag=h3][accordion-item title="Agency & Contacts" id=Agency-Contacts]Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) regulates wildlife imports and has authority over commercially raised mule deer and other commercially raised wildlife species. The Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) has authority over alternative livestock (fallow deer and elk). Authority over possession, importation, and movement of alternative livestock (elk and fallow deer) is shared, and CWD management in alternative livestock facilities requires CDA and CPW approval of the herd plan. Moratorium on new licensing of cervid ranches by CPW; CDA is licensing new alternative livestock facilities. Contact: Mary Wood, CPW, (970) 472-4473, mary.wood@state.co.us Regulations: Krista Heiner, CPW (303) 866-3203 x4609, krista.heiner@state.co.us CDA: Wayne East, 303-869-9149, wayne.east@state.co.us[/accordion-item][accordion-item title="Standard Regulations" id=Standard-Regulations]All cervids must be free of infectious and contagious disease; must be treated for internal/external parasites within 21 days prior to entry, must be marked with USDA official ear tag, and originate from a bovine TB-free accredited herd. All elk must test negative for evidence of red deer hybridization.[/accordion-item][accordion-item title="CWD Regulations for Captive Cervids and Wildlife"]60 months CWD-free status from qualifying surveillance program required for importation and intrastate movement of captive cervids. CPW and CDA jointly review all requests for cervid movement - both agencies must approve; CDA issues the movement/importation authorization.[/accordion-item][accordion-item title="New CWD Regulations in Development"]None[/accordion-item] [accordion-item title="CWD Testing Program For Captive Cervids"]Mandatory surveillance required on any captive cervid death (>12 months of age) whether natural death, slaughter or hunt park kill (fresh and fixed tissue).[/accordion-item] [accordion-item title="CWD Testing Program For Wildlife"]CWD testing available statewide for successful deer and elk hunters for a fee. Fee waived for any mandatory submission. Director has authority to administratively impose mandatory hunter testing by unit to meet sampling objectives. Mandatory hunter testing rotates around the state each year to achieve adequate sample sizes for monitoring in selected population units. Between 2017 and 2021 all deer populations in the state were sampled via rotating mandatory testing with roughly 7,000 samples tested per year. For current testing information please refer to the following site: https://cpw.state.co.us/learn/Pages/ResearchCWD-Submission.aspx[/accordion-item] [accordion-item title="Baiting Banned?"]Big game baiting illegal.[/accordion-item] [accordion-item title="Feeding Banned?"]Feeding of certain wildlife species, including big game, is illegal.[/accordion-item] [accordion-item title="Ban On Movement of Animal Parts?"]In January 2008 the Wildlife Commission struck the regulation on transportation of carcass parts and encouraged an educational effort focused on disposal of carcass trim.[/accordion-item] [accordion-item title="CWD Found in Captive Cervids?"]Yes, in elk.[/accordion-item] [accordion-item title="CWD Found In Free Ranging Cervids?"]Yes, in mule deer, white-tailed deer, elk, and moose.[/accordion-item] [/accordion]

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