Wyoming’s Chronic Wasting Disease Laws Every Hunter Needs to Know
August 23, 2026
Wyoming has one of the longest and most widespread histories with chronic wasting disease of any state in the nation. CWD was first identified in free-ranging mule deer in southeastern Wyoming in 1985, followed by elk in 1986. In the decades since, the disease has spread to cover nearly every corner of the state, making it one of the most pressing wildlife management challenges Wyoming hunters and landowners face today.
If you hunt deer, elk, or moose in Wyoming — or if you own land where cervids roam — understanding the state’s CWD laws is not optional. Violations carry real consequences, and the rules governing everything from carcass transport to mandatory sample submission are more detailed than many hunters realize. This guide walks you through each layer of Wyoming’s CWD regulatory framework so you can stay compliant and help protect the herds you hunt.
CWD Status and Affected Areas in Wyoming
Chronic wasting disease is a chronic, fatal disease of the central nervous system in mule deer, white-tailed deer, elk, and moose. It belongs to the group of rare diseases called transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), which are caused by abnormal proteins called “prions.” There is no cure, and infected animals typically appear completely healthy until the disease’s final stages.
Early in the disease, animals may show no clinical signs. Later, affected animals show progressive weight loss, reluctance to move, excessive salivation, droopy ears, increased drinking and urinating, lethargy, and death. Animals will test positive for the disease long before these clinical signs appear, and the majority of CWD-positive animals that are harvested appear completely normal and healthy.
The disease’s footprint in Wyoming is staggering. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s Wildlife Health Laboratory tested 5,370 samples from elk, deer, and moose for CWD in 2025, detecting CWD in 842 of those samples. Statewide, CWD prevalence averaged 21.6% in hunter-harvested mule deer bucks — up from 19.4% in 2024. The percentage in hunter-harvested white-tailed buck deer was 32.1%, a slight increase from 29.2% in 2024. The percentage of adult, hunter-harvested elk was 2.4%.
As of December 31, 2025, CWD has been detected in 35 of 37 mule deer herds in Wyoming and 111 of 127 mule deer hunt areas. CWD was identified in three new deer hunt areas — 106, 150, and 153 — and in six new elk hunt areas — 2, 61, 62, 87, 93, and 116. CWD was also detected on four elk feedgrounds.
The area around the Project Herd in the Wind River Basin has the highest prevalence rates of CWD anywhere in North America. Among 53 collared mule deer that were alive at the onset of 2025, only 29% of the bucks and 44% of the does remained on their feet at the end of the year. These numbers underscore why Wyoming’s CWD laws are among the most comprehensive in the country.
Baiting and Feeding Restrictions in Wyoming
Wyoming law takes a firm stance on baiting and supplemental feeding of wild cervids, both to protect hunters from legal exposure and to slow the spread of CWD through artificial congregation of animals.
Wyoming Statute 23-3-304(d) states that no person shall place any bait for the purpose of taking a big game animal, nor shall any person knowingly take a big game animal by the use of any bait that has been deposited, placed, distributed, or scattered in a manner to constitute a lure or attractant. This prohibition applies statewide to all big game hunting, including deer, elk, and moose.
A chemical used as an attractant or mask rather than for consumption shall not be considered “bait.” Wyoming regulations also include a section specifically prohibiting supplemental feeding of certain wild animals. Supplemental feed attractants are defined as any human food, pet food including pelleted forage feed, hay, block salt, forage products or mineral supplements, grain, seed or birdseed, garbage, and other food sources and attractants — but the definition does not include incidental food sources such as lawns and gardens.
No person shall knowingly or intentionally provide supplemental feed attractants to wild antelope, deer, elk, moose, turkey, ducks, non-domestic geese, bobcat, or bear, unless specifically authorized by an agency of either the State of Wyoming or the United States of America.
Colorado and Wyoming are dealing with the impacts of chronic wasting disease, and wildlife feeding and baiting can increase the spread of the disease by drawing animals together in close contact — exactly the kind of congregation that allows prions to pass from animal to animal through saliva, urine, and feces.
Carcass Transportation Rules in Wyoming
If a hunter harvests an animal that has CWD, improper disposal of the animal’s carcass can spread CWD to new areas. Most CWD-positive animals that are harvested appear completely normal and healthy. To minimize the possibility of transmission, Wyoming’s regulations outline requirements for transporting and disposing of carcasses.
The rules differ depending on whether you are transporting within Wyoming, leaving the state, or bringing a carcass into Wyoming from another jurisdiction. Here is a breakdown of each scenario:
Transporting Within Wyoming
Deer, elk, and moose taken in Wyoming may be transported within Wyoming to a camp, a private residence for processing, a taxidermist, a processor, or a CWD sample collection site in Wyoming, provided the head and all portions of the spinal column remain at the site of the kill or such parts are disposed of in any approved landfill or approved incinerator in Wyoming.
Transporting Out of Wyoming
Whole deer, elk, and moose carcasses shall not be transported out of Wyoming. The only parts of deer, elk, and moose taken in Wyoming approved to leave the state are edible portions with no part of the spinal column or head; cleaned hide without the head; skull, skull plate, or antlers that have been cleaned of all meat and brain tissue; teeth; or finished taxidermy mounts.
Importing Carcasses Into Wyoming
Deer, elk, or moose taken from within any other state, province, or country may only be imported into Wyoming if carcasses are transported directly to a private residence for processing, to a taxidermist, to a processor, or to a CWD sample collection site, provided the head and all portions of the spinal column are disposed of in an approved landfill or incinerator.
Deer, elk, and moose taken in Wyoming can be transported to a camp, private residence for processing, a taxidermist, a processor, or a CWD sample collection site in Wyoming provided the head and all portions of the spinal column remain at the site of kill or such parts are disposed in any approved landfill or approved incinerator in Wyoming. A listing of landfills that will accept waste from processed game animals and whole carcasses is available on the Game and Fish website.
CWD Testing Requirements for Hunters in Wyoming
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department may mandate hunters submit CWD samples from harvested deer, elk, and moose from designated hunt areas within Wyoming to evaluate testing, monitoring, and management actions. Whether testing is voluntary or mandatory depends on where you hunt.
Mandatory Sampling Areas
Mandatory submission of CWD samples from harvested deer, elk, and moose may be established annually by the Department when necessary to meet its CWD testing and monitoring requirements or to implement and evaluate management actions related to CWD. It is a violation of Commission regulation for a hunter to fail to submit mandated CWD samples.
The Department may mandate hunters submit CWD samples from harvested deer, elk, and moose from designated hunt areas within Wyoming. If the Department mandates hunters submit CWD samples, public notice shall be given through the Department website, publications, and news releases. For example, the Cody Region has mandatory CWD sampling in effect for Hunt Area 164 Types 1 and 7 hunts.
Priority Sampling Areas
In priority sampling areas, Game and Fish personnel will make contact with hunters in the field, at game check stations, and at meat processing facilities to request CWD samples from harvested animals. Sampling takes just a few minutes and requires removing a set of lymph nodes from the neck of the animal. Participation is voluntary in these areas.
Monitoring and mandatory sampling areas will be posted before hunting seasons open each year, typically by August 1. Game and Fish encourages hunters to check the Game and Fish website for the 2026 priority and mandatory testing areas, check current CWD prevalence on the interactive CWD map, and no matter where you hunt, to consider having your animal tested for CWD.
How Testing Works
Sampling takes just a few minutes and requires removing a set of lymph nodes from the neck of the animal. Hunters wanting to collect lymph nodes from their harvested deer, elk, or moose for CWD testing can watch a video on how to do so on the Wyoming Game and Fish Department website.
All CWD testing is free for animals harvested in Wyoming and is encouraged in those areas where wildlife managers have insufficient data. If you want results within 10 working days, you can contact the Wyoming State Veterinary Lab in Laramie at (307) 766-9925 for a $30 fee. Results from free CWD testing are available online within three weeks, and hunters get the results of their deer or elk’s CWD test online through their account on the Game and Fish website.
Quarter and freeze your animal until test results are returned to save on meat processing costs if your animal is positive. This is especially important if you are hunting in a high-prevalence area where a positive result is a real possibility.
Captive Cervid and Deer Farming Rules in Wyoming
Wyoming takes one of the most restrictive positions in the country when it comes to captive cervids. Captive cervids are not allowed in Wyoming, with a single exemption allowed. The single exempted ranch is not located in a CWD endemic area and has opted not to import any cervid. This near-total prohibition reflects the state’s recognition that captive cervid operations pose a significant risk for introducing or spreading CWD.
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) has jurisdiction over the import and possession of cervids. This means that any attempt to establish a new captive deer or elk operation — including game ranches, breeding facilities, or shooting preserves involving deer, elk, or moose — would fall under WGFD authority and would almost certainly be denied under current regulations.
Evidence suggests that CWD is transmitted via saliva, urine, feces, or even infected carcasses. Animals may also be infected through the environment via contamination of feed or pasture with CWD prions, which can persist for many years. Captive settings, where animals are confined in close quarters, create ideal conditions for this kind of transmission — which is why Wyoming’s prohibition is so sweeping.
Wyoming’s approach stands in sharp contrast to states that operate captive cervid licensing programs. The state’s decision to effectively prohibit captive cervids is a direct outgrowth of its long history with CWD and its ongoing effort to prevent the disease from being introduced into new areas through the movement of captive animals. If you’re interested in how Wyoming’s animal ownership laws intersect with broader regulations, you can also review goat ownership laws in Wyoming for context on how the state handles other livestock and semi-wild species.
Reporting Sick or Suspected Deer in Wyoming
Animals infected with CWD can look healthy and in good condition. They usually do not show visible signs of the disease until the final few weeks of life. Therefore, a laboratory-tested sample is necessary to determine if the animal has the disease.
That said, there are late-stage clinical signs you should watch for in the field. Most animals infected with CWD show no clinical signs early on, but after a year of being infected with the disease, animals will begin to show weight loss, reluctance to move, excessive salivation, droopy ears, increased drinking and urinating, lethargy, and eventually death. If you observe a deer, elk, or moose displaying any combination of these symptoms, you should report it to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department immediately.
While there have been no confirmed cases of transmission to humans, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends hunters avoid consuming meat from infected animals and report any animals they may suspect are contaminated. Game and Fish encourages hunters to do this and to bolster research by submitting samples during hunting season through check stations, regional offices, or by mail-in testing kits.
You can report a sick or suspected CWD-positive animal by contacting your nearest WGFD regional office, flagging down a game warden in the field, or calling the WGFD wildlife health hotline. Public participation remains a critical component to understanding the disease better as officials continue monitoring its spread.
| Symptom | What It May Indicate | Action to Take |
|---|---|---|
| Dramatic weight loss or emaciation | Late-stage CWD | Do not harvest; report to WGFD |
| Excessive salivation or drooling | Neurological impairment from CWD | Do not approach; report to WGFD |
| Droopy ears, blank stare, stumbling | Central nervous system deterioration | Do not harvest; report to WGFD |
| Excessive drinking or urinating | Advanced CWD infection | Report to WGFD; submit sample if harvested |
| Loss of fear of humans | Neurological disease (CWD or other) | Maintain distance; report to WGFD |
To date, there have been no cases of CWD in humans and no direct proof that humans can get CWD. However, animal studies suggest CWD poses a risk to some types of non-human primates that eat meat from CWD-infected animals. These experimental studies raise the concern that CWD may pose a risk to humans and suggest that it is important to prevent exposure to CWD. Therefore, the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization recommend not consuming CWD-positive animals.
For hunters curious about how disease reporting intersects with other Wyoming wildlife laws, it is worth understanding roadkill laws in Wyoming, since CWD disposal requirements also apply to road-killed deer, elk, and moose. Understanding whether Lyme disease is contagious in dogs is a related concern for hunters who bring dogs into the field during deer season.
Penalties for CWD Violations in Wyoming
Wyoming’s CWD regulations are enforceable by law, and violations can result in significant penalties. Special regulations were adopted by the Department to decrease the spread of the disease, and these carry the same legal weight as any other Wyoming hunting regulation.
Key violations and their consequences include:
- Failure to submit mandatory CWD samples: It is a violation of Commission regulation for a hunter to fail to submit mandated CWD samples in accordance with this section. This can result in citation, fines, and potential loss of hunting privileges.
- Illegal carcass transport within Wyoming: Transporting a whole deer, elk, or moose carcass with the head or spinal column attached to locations not permitted under regulation — such as across state lines — is a direct violation of Wyoming Game and Fish Commission regulations.
- Transporting a whole carcass out of state: Whole deer, elk, and moose carcasses cannot be transported out of Wyoming. Doing so violates Wyoming law and may also trigger violations in the destination state.
- Illegal baiting: Placing bait for the purpose of taking a big game animal without a valid WGFD baiting permit violates Wyoming Statute 23-3-304(d) and can result in criminal citation and loss of hunting privileges.
- Illegal feeding of cervids: Knowingly providing supplemental feed attractants to wild deer, elk, or moose without agency authorization violates Wyoming’s supplemental feeding prohibition and is subject to enforcement action.
Wyoming hunting violations are generally classified as misdemeanors under Title 23 of Wyoming Statutes. Penalties can include fines, mandatory forfeiture of the animal, suspension or revocation of hunting licenses and preference points, and in serious cases, criminal prosecution. The Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact means that a serious violation in Wyoming can also affect your hunting privileges in other member states.
Some basic precautions that hunters can take to reduce their risk to CWD include: do not consume any animal that tests positive for CWD; do not harvest or consume any animal that appears sick; wear rubber or latex gloves when field dressing carcasses; minimize handling of brain, eyes, lymph nodes, spleen, or spinal cord; and wash your hands and utensils thoroughly after field dressing or processing game meat. Knives and other butchering equipment can be disinfected by soaking in 40% household bleach for 5 minutes, though this may rust some equipment.
Staying compliant with Wyoming’s CWD laws is not just about avoiding penalties — it is about preserving the deer and elk populations that make Wyoming one of the premier hunting destinations in North America. “Wyoming’s CWD surveillance would not be possible without the participation of our hunters,” according to Game and Fish Wildlife Health Lab manager Jessica Jennings. Every sample you submit, every carcass you dispose of properly, and every sick animal you report contributes to the state’s ability to manage this disease for future generations. For more on Wyoming’s animal-related regulations, explore topics like beekeeping laws in Wyoming and leash laws in Wyoming to understand how the state approaches wildlife and domestic animal management across the board. You can also review common pigeon diseases for broader context on how avian and mammalian diseases are monitored and managed in shared environments.