Chronic Wasting Disease Laws in Wisconsin: What Hunters and Landowners Must Know

Wisconsin has one of the most active chronic wasting disease management programs in the country, and the regulations that come with it touch nearly every aspect of deer hunting and deer farming in the state. Whether you hunt whitetails every fall, own land in a CWD-affected county, or run a captive deer operation, the rules apply to you — and the penalties for ignoring them are real.

Understanding Wisconsin’s CWD laws before you head into the field can save you from a costly violation and, more importantly, help protect the deer herd that generations of hunters depend on. This guide walks through every major regulatory category, from baiting bans and carcass transport to testing options and reporting obligations.

CWD Status and Affected Areas in Wisconsin

Chronic wasting disease is a fatal, infectious nervous system disease belonging to the family of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, and it occurs only in members of the cervid family — deer, moose, elk, and reindeer/caribou. The Wisconsin DNR began monitoring the state’s wild white-tailed deer population for CWD in 1999, and the first positives were found in 2002.

CWD is always fatal and is transmitted through direct animal-to-animal contact or by contact with saliva, urine, feces, blood, and carcass parts of an infected animal or contaminated soil. The disease has spread significantly since its initial discovery, now touching dozens of Wisconsin counties.

According to a DNR summary released in April 2025, 17,399 deer were sampled throughout the state during the 2024 CWD year, with 1,786 samples testing positive — 89% of those detections were in the Southern Farmland Zone.

The Wisconsin DNR maintains a statewide CWD surveillance summary table that shows test results for each of the DNR’s four zones; data released through February 11, 2026 is available online. Because affected-area designations change as new positives are confirmed, you should verify your county’s status on the Wisconsin DNR CWD page before each season.

The DNR notes there have been no reported cases of CWD infection in humans to date; however, public health officials recommend against consuming meat from deer that test positive for CWD and encourage testing deer prior to consumption, especially in areas with high CWD prevalence.

Wisconsin’s coyote hunting laws and other wildlife regulations exist alongside CWD rules, and understanding the full regulatory picture helps you stay compliant across all your outdoor activities in the state.

Baiting and Feeding Restrictions in Wisconsin

Under Wisconsin law, baiting is defined as the intentional placement of any material — including food, scented materials, salts, minerals, and grains — to attract wild animals for hunting purposes. Feeding is the deliberate placement of material used to feed or attract wild animals for non-hunting purposes, including recreational and supplemental feeding, except as allowed for birds and small mammals.

State law directs the DNR to impose baiting and feeding bans within any county with a confirmed CWD-positive wild or captive deer, or any county within 10 miles of the location of the positive deer.

Counties fall under a three-year baiting and feeding ban when wild or farm-raised deer have tested positive for CWD in the county. If the CWD-positive deer is found within 10 miles of a county line, the adjoining county falls under a two-year ban. If additional CWD cases are found during the lifetime of a ban, the ban will reset for an additional two or three years.

As of recent updates, over 50 counties in Wisconsin have prohibitions on feeding and baiting due to CWD concerns. Bait is defined as any material placed or used to attract wild animals for hunting purposes, including liquid scent, salt, and mineral blocks.

Even where baiting and feeding are not banned, restrictions still apply:

• In counties where baiting and feeding bans are in effect, individuals may still feed birds and small mammals, provided feeding devices are within 50 yards of a human dwelling and at a sufficient height or design to prevent access by deer.
• Wisconsin Administrative Code NR 10.07(2) specifies that no more than two gallons of feed may be placed per site, and it must be within 50 yards of a dwelling or business to minimize large congregations.
• No person may hunt over a bait or feeding site in violation of these regulations unless the area is completely free of bait or feed material for at least 10 consecutive days prior to hunting, pursuing animals, or dog training.
• No person may place, use, or hunt over any bait or feed material that contains any animal part or animal by-product.

Baiting and feeding encourage deer to congregate unnaturally around a specific location, creating an environment where infected deer can quickly spread diseases like CWD. CWD prions are extremely resilient and can stay in the soil for a long time, making containment of an affected area a serious challenge.

If you also keep livestock or operate a small farm, Wisconsin’s goat ownership laws and backyard chicken laws may intersect with wildlife feeding restrictions on your property.

Carcass Transportation Rules in Wisconsin

The movement of deer carcasses infected with CWD is a direct pathway for the disease to spread, and leaving carcass parts on the landscape is a possible route for disease transmission to other deer. Wisconsin law addresses this risk through strict carcass movement restrictions tied to CWD-affected counties.

The movement of both whole wild-deer carcasses and certain parts of carcasses from a CWD-affected county is restricted. Carcasses can only be moved within those counties and an adjacent county.

However, hunters are allowed to take whole cervid carcasses or any parts of carcasses harvested in CWD-affected counties, or in any state or province where CWD has been found, into any part of Wisconsin — provided the carcass or non-exempt parts are taken to a licensed taxidermist or meat processor within 72 hours of registering a Wisconsin deer, or within 72 hours of entering Wisconsin from another state.

The following carcass parts are generally permitted to move freely from CWD-affected counties:

• Boned-out meat (no visible bone material)
• Cleaned skull caps and antlers (no brain or spinal tissue)
• Finished taxidermy mounts
• Cleaned teeth
• Hides with no head attached
• Finished antler products

In essence, if you harvest a deer within a CWD-affected county, the spine and the head of that deer must be removed and stay within that county of harvest before you can take the remaining portions of the deer out of the county.

Whole carcasses and parts of carcasses other than those listed, from states and provinces where CWD has been detected, are not allowed to be brought into Wisconsin unless taken to a licensed taxidermist or meat processor within 72 hours of entry into Wisconsin.

For disposal, hunters are encouraged to dispose of deer carcass waste in a licensed landfill that accepts this waste or in a dumpster designated for deer carcass waste. If a municipality allows deer disposal curbside or at a transfer station, the carcass should be double bagged.

If you’ve ever dealt with a deer-vehicle collision in Wisconsin, the roadkill laws in Wisconsin also address what you can and cannot do with a deer carcass found on a public road.

CWD Testing Requirements for Hunters in Wisconsin

Testing through the DNR is free for deer harvested in Wisconsin. While CWD testing is not universally mandatory for all hunters in all counties, it is strongly encouraged statewide and is a critical tool for tracking where the disease exists.

The DNR offers hunters four ways to submit a sample from their harvested deer for CWD testing, and you can choose the method that is most convenient for you. Options include:

1. Self-service kiosks — Hundreds of sampling locations are available for hunters at self-service kiosks around the state.
2. Staffed testing stations — In-person sampling is available at many meat processors and businesses during hunting seasons.
3. DNR wildlife biologist appointments — Hunters can arrange an appointment by contacting the DNR Wildlife Switchboard by emailing DNRWildlifeSwitchboard@wisconsin.gov or calling 608-267-0866; you will need to leave a message for switchboard staff who will forward it to a local biologist.
4. Self-extraction and kiosk drop-off — Hunters can follow the DNR’s hunter’s guide to lymph node extraction to prepare samples and return them to a CWD kiosk.

When submitting a sample, follow these handling guidelines:

• Take your deer to a sampling station as soon as possible after harvest. If you choose not to bring the full carcass, remove the deer’s head with 5 inches of neck attached.
• Heads can be brought to a sampling location up to five days after harvest if kept refrigerated between 35°F and 45°F, or longer if frozen.
• The DNR does not intend to prevent hunters from moving a deer head and a hand-width length of neck outside a CWD-affected county if it is being transported to an approved CWD sampling cooperator, self-service kiosk, or staffed CWD testing location.

Once a hunter submits a sample, test results are added as they become available — typically within 10 to 14 days after the deer is brought to a sampling station.

Infected deer can look completely healthy, so the Wisconsin Department of Health Services encourages testing regardless of your harvested deer’s physical condition. The DHS also recommends that the public only consume venison from deer where test results indicate CWD was not detected.

Captive Cervid and Deer Farming Rules in Wisconsin

Wisconsin’s captive deer industry is regulated by two separate agencies with distinct responsibilities, and CWD has significantly shaped the rules both impose.

All captive deer facilities must be fenced. If whitetail deer are in the registered herd, a fencing certificate must be obtained from the Wisconsin DNR. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) oversees all other aspects of captive deer facilities.

Captive cervids are only permitted in herds registered with DATCP. The DNR certifies and monitors fencing for farmed white-tailed deer.

Key regulatory requirements for captive cervid operations include:

• Registration: All captive deer herds must be registered with DATCP before any animals are held.
• Fencing certification: White-tailed deer farms must obtain a DNR fencing certificate confirming enclosures meet state standards.
• Import permits: A current Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) and import permit are required; contact DATCP at (608) 224-4874 for detailed information.
• CWD testing protocols: Captive facilities are subject to mandatory CWD surveillance and testing requirements administered by DATCP.

Wisconsin has 231 registered deer farms (the list is updated annually during the license renewal process), 52 of which are hunting ranches. According to the DATCP website, as of January 2025, there are 15 hunting ranches currently infected with CWD in operation and eight deer farms currently infected with CWD in operation.

When a captive facility tests positive, consequences are significant. In October 2025, DATCP confirmed that a Portage County deer farm tested positive for CWD, and the premises was quarantined while DATCP and USDA veterinarians conducted an epidemiological investigation.

Wisconsin law provides that when an infected captive deer facility is depopulated, the facility owner can be reimbursed not more than $1,500 per animal — unless the owner disposes of the deer carcass as directed by DATCP, in which case the reimbursement can exceed $1,500 per animal.

There is also pending legislation that could affect captive deer regulations. Wisconsin Senate Bill 891, introduced in 2026, proposes prohibiting the quarantine of certain animals based solely on exposure to chronic wasting disease. This bill was still listed as available for scheduling as of early 2026 and has not been signed into law.

If you operate a farm with multiple animal species, Wisconsin’s beekeeping laws and pet import laws may also be relevant to your overall compliance picture.

Reporting Sick or Suspected Deer in Wisconsin

Reporting sick or abnormally behaving deer is one of the most effective tools available for tracking CWD spread in Wisconsin. The DNR relies on hunter and public observations to identify potential new cases, especially in areas with limited sampling coverage.

Signs that a deer may be infected with CWD include:

• Wasting away slowly, lack of coordination, listlessness, drooling, and excessive thirst
• Stumbling or staggering gait
• Drooping ears or head
• Lack of fear of humans or unusual daytime activity
• Apparent emaciation despite available food sources

DNR staff are interested in all reports of sick deer. To report a sick deer, contact local wildlife staff or call DNR Customer Service at 1-888-936-7463.

When making a report, try to provide:

• The exact location where the deer was observed (county, township, nearest road intersection)
• A description of the deer’s behavior and physical condition
• The date and time of the observation
• Photos or video if it is safe to obtain them

Voluntarily following recommended practices — including proper carcass transportation, handling and disposal, reporting sick deer, following baiting and feeding regulations, and cleaning and decontaminating equipment — can reduce and prevent the spread of CWD.

You can also report online through the Wisconsin DNR CWD reporting portal. For deer farm-related CWD concerns, contact DATCP directly since they handle all captive cervid disease investigations.

Wisconsin residents who also keep domestic animals should be aware of related reporting obligations. The state’s dog bite laws in Wisconsin and feral cat laws similarly involve reporting obligations to local or state authorities.

Penalties for CWD Violations in Wisconsin

Wisconsin takes CWD violations seriously, and the penalty structure reflects the state’s commitment to containing the disease. Violations can result in fines, license revocation, and in some cases criminal charges.

Under Wisconsin Statute 29.336, the DNR has the authority to prohibit or restrict feeding in areas where CWD or bovine tuberculosis has been detected, and this statute allows the DNR to implement feeding bans in affected and adjacent counties to mitigate disease transmission.

Beyond state-level penalties, hunters should be aware that violations can affect future license eligibility. Wisconsin’s Go Wild licensing system tracks enforcement actions, and serious or repeat violations can result in multi-year hunting license revocations.

For captive deer operations, non-compliance with DATCP quarantine orders carries the most severe consequences. Wisconsin law provides that when an infected captive deer facility is depopulated, the facility owner can be reimbursed not more than $1,500 per animal unless the owner disposes of the deer carcass as directed by the DATCP — in that case, the reimbursement can exceed $1,500 per animal. Failing to follow proper disposal protocols can forfeit this indemnity entirely.

Staying current on Wisconsin’s CWD regulations is the most reliable way to avoid penalties. Regulatory maps are updated throughout the year as new positives are confirmed, so a county that was unrestricted last season may be under a ban this season. Check the DNR’s baiting and feeding regulations page and the CWD sampling page before every hunt.

Wisconsin hunters and landowners navigating wildlife regulations more broadly may also find useful context in the state’s leash laws, outdoor cat laws, and other animal-related statutes that shape how humans and wildlife interact across the state.