La. Admin. Code tit. 76 § V-137

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 8, August 20, 2024

Section V-137 - Rules and Regulations for Chronic Wasting Disease Control Areas

A. Definitions

Cervid-any animal of the family Cervidae including, but not limited to, white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk, moose, caribou "reindeer", fallow deer, axis deer, sika deer, and red deer.

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD)-Neurodegenerative disease found in most deer species, including white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk, red deer, moose, and caribou. It is infectious, always fatal, and has no treatment. CWD is part of a group of diseases know as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) and is similar to BSE (mad cow disease) in cattle and scrapie in sheep. These diseases cause irreversible damage to brain tissue, which leads to excessive salivation, neurological symptoms, emaciation, and death of the animal.

Control Area-LDWF designated area consisting of the CWD infectious zone and buffer zone where mitigation measures and regulations are applied to curb further spread of the disease. The control area shall be listed on the LDWF website.

LDWF-The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.

B. Baiting, placement of bait, or hunting over bait is prohibited within a LDWF designated CWD control area. It is the responsibility of hunters to check their hunting area for bait prior to each hunt. A baited area is an area on which salt, grain, or other feed has been placed, exposed, deposited, distributed, or scattered, if that salt, grain, or other feed could serve as a lure or attractant for wild quadrupeds or wild birds via ingestion. The use of approved bait not normally ingested by deer for feral hog trapping will still be allowed.

C. The export of any cervid carcass or part of a cervid carcass originating within a LDWF designated CWD control area is prohibited, except for: meat that is cut and wrapped; meat that has been boned out; quarters or other portions of meat with no part of the spinal column or head attached, antlers, clean skull plates with antlers, cleaned skulls without tissue attached, capes, tanned hides, finished taxidermy mounts, and cleaned cervid teeth.

D. Approved parts transported out of the CWD control area must be legally possessed. Approved parts must contain a possession tag with the hunter's name, address, LDWF license number, parish of harvest, date of harvest, and sex of deer. All cervid parts transported out of the control area that are in violation of the provisions of this ban shall be seized and disposed of in accordance with the Wildlife and Fisheries Commission and Department of Wildlife and Fisheries rules.

E. Prior to the 2022-23 deer hunting season, LDWF is directed to determine whether there is sufficient capacity to perform taxidermy services for cervids taken within the control area and report those findings to the Wildlife and Fisheries Commission. If it is determined that there is insufficient capacity to provide adequate taxidermy services for cervids harvested within the control area, LDWF shall establish a permitting system to be in effect no later than the opening of the 2022-23 deer hunting season to allow for uncleaned cervid heads to be transported out of the control area solely for taxidermy purposes.

La. Admin. Code tit. 76, § V-137

Promulgated by the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Wildlife and Fisheries Commission, LR 482190 (8/1/2022).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with the Louisiana Constitution, Article IX, Section 7, R.S. 56:1, R.S. 56:5, R.S. 56:6(10), (13) and (15), R.S. 56:20, R.S. 56:112, R.S. 56:116.1 and R.S. 56:171 et seq.