GFP Commission Proposes Changes to Deer and Elk Carcass Transportation and Disposal

The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) Commission have proposed new regulations for the transportation and disposal of deer and elk carcasses from other states and hunting units within South Dakota’s known endemic areas where chronic wasting disease (CWD) has been confirmed. New regulations, if adopted, would not go into effect until the 2020 hunting seasons. 

The commission proposed the following regulations to help reduce the spread of CWD.

To define the geographic area comprising South Dakota’s known CWD endemic area:

• Deer Hunting Units: CUD-CU1, BHD-BH1, BHD-BD1, BHD-BD2, WRD-02A, WRD-21A, WRD-21B, WRD-27A, WRD-27B and WRD-27L.
• Elk Hunting Units: CUE-CU1, CEE-CU1, BHE-H2, BHE-H3, BHE-H4, BHE-H5, BHE-H7, BHE-H9 and PRE-27A.

To establish carcass disposal requirements for hunters, taxidermists and game processors:

a) A hunter shall dispose of all remaining deer or elk carcass parts taken from another state, regardless of CWD status of the exporting state, or a known South Dakota CWD endemic area directly to or with a waste management provider that delivers to a permitted landfill when non-commercial meat processing and non-commercial taxidermy has concluded.

• Those deer and elk carcasses taken from a known South Dakota CWD endemic area that test negative for CWD from a verified test sponsored by the Department would be exempt from this disposal regulation.
• Any recipient of such gift of wildlife as described above shall follow this deer or elk carcass disposal requirement.

b) A wildlife processing facility shall dispose of all remaining deer or elk carcass parts taken from another state, regardless of CWD status of the exporting state, or a known South Dakota CWD endemic area directly to or with a waste management provider that delivers to a permitted landfill.

• Game processors licensed by U.S. Department of Agriculture or S.D. Animal Industry Board shall dispose of carcasses as required by the conditions associated with such license.

c) A taxidermist as defined by 41:09:11:02 shall dispose of all remaining deer or elk carcass parts taken from another state, regardless of CWD status of the exporting state, or a known South Dakota CWD endemic area directly to or with a waste management provider that delivers to a permitted landfill.

Intrastate Carcass Transportation (carcass movement within South Dakota)

a) Whole or partial deer or elk carcasses and head with antlers attached may be transported from a known South Dakota CWD endemic area only if delivered to a licensed taxidermist, commercial processor or to the hunter’s domicile and disposed of as describe above.

Interstate Carcass Transportation (carcass movement into South Dakota from another state)

a) Importation of whole or partial deer or elk carcasses and head with antlers attached into South Dakota is allowed from other states, regardless of CWD status of the exporting state, if delivered to a licensed taxidermist, game processor or to the hunter’s domicile and disposed of as described above.

b) Whole or partial deer or elk carcasses and head with antlers only traveling through South Dakota are exempt from this regulation.

To comment in person, the public hearing will be held Oct. 3 at 2 p.m. CT at the AmericInn in Chamberlain. Comments can also be submitted online at gfp.sd.gov/forms/positions or mailed to 523 E. Capitol Ave., Pierre, SD 57501. To be included in the public record and to be considered by the commission, comments must include a full name and city of residence, and meet the submission deadline of 72 hours before the public hearing (not including the day of the public hearing).