Special CWD hunt planned for Hunting District 400

From Fish, Wildife and Parks

Fish, Wildlife and Parks Region 4 is scheduling a special chronic wasting disease hunt south of Chester this fall along the Marias River near the Moffat Bridge. The hunt is designed to determine the prevalence of the disease in the area.

For the hunt, FWP will sell 50 mule deer either-sex B licenses and 300 mule deer antlerless B licenses that can only be used in the special hunt area, which is in Hunting District 400. In addition, all other deer licenses valid in HD 400 will be valid within the Moffat Bridge special hunt area.

The Moffat Bridge special CWD B licenses are valid Oct. 26 through Dec 1. All other HD 400 deer licenses are valid Oct. 26 through Nov. 17.

The CWD B licenses will go on sale at 8 a.m., Monday, Sept. 23, at select license providers, a list is provided below.

At 10 a.m., any remaining licenses will become available for purchase online at http://fwp.mt.gov . Hunters can purchase only one either-sex mule deer CWD B license and up to three antlerless mule deer CWD B licenses.

When a quota of 25 mule deer buck samples are collected within the CWD hunt area on either a general deer license or an either-sex CWD B license, all CWD B licenses will become valid for antlerless mule deer only.

When a quota of 120 antlerless mule deer samples are collected on any license, all the CWD B licenses will no longer be valid.

During this CWD hunt, the Brinkman Game Preserve (normally an archery only area) will be open for both archery and rifle for mule or white-tailed deer. That’s because all deer within the CWD hunt area must be tested for the disease even though the additional B licenses are only valid for mule deer.

Samples are mandatory from all deer harvested within the CWD hunt area using any license type. The samples must be checked within three days of harvest.

Samples are voluntary from deer taken outside the CWD hunt area but within HDs 400 and 401.

Animals must be checked at the Moffat Bridge CWD check station located 18 miles south of Chester on the Moffat Road. Hunters who quarter or bone out their deer in the field must bring the head for sampling.

During general big game season, Oct. 26 to Dec. 1, the Moffat Bridge CWD hunt check station will be open every day 10 a.m. to one hour after sunset. Hunters are only required to stop at the sampling station if they harvested an animal.

Hunters will be required to document the exact location of the kill. Animals will be tagged with a unique identification number. Hunters can use that identification number to look up test results on the FWP website at http://fwp.mt.gov/CWD .

Test results are usually available within 10-14 days. Hunters who harvest an animal that tests positive for CWD may receive a replacement 2019 license.

CWD is a progressive, fatal disease affecting the nervous system of mule deer, white-tailed deer, elk and moose. There is no known transmission of CWD to humans or other animals, including pets or livestock. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that hunters harvesting a deer, elk, or moose from an area where CWD is known to be present have their animal tested for CWD before consuming the meat, and to not consume the meat if the animal tests positive.

For more information, visit http://fwp.mt.gov/cwd .

The following license providers will start selling at 8 a.m. Monday, Sept. 23, one either-sex and up to three antlerless mule deer special CWD hunt B licenses per person. Starting at 10 a.m., those licenses will be available online at http://fwp.mt.gov .

Chester: Hi-Line Hardware

Conrad: Mountain View Coop 

Fort Benton: Lehmans True Value

Shelby: Shelby Paint and Hardware

Great Falls: FWP Region 4 Headquarters