Hunters are critical to protecting New York deer and moose from Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation states CWD is an untreatable, fatal disease for deer and moose, affecting the brain and nervous system. It is caused by a misfolded protein called a prion that is spread in deer tissues, saliva, urine, and feces. Hunters may bring CWD prions into New York without realizing it.
To protect deer, do not bring hunter-killed deer, elk, moose, or caribou carcasses into New York from other states, and do not use deer urine-based lures.
DEC reminds hunters of the importance of reporting their harvest. Harvest reporting is critical to wildlife management, and hunters are required to report their harvest of deer, bear, and turkey within seven days of taking the animal. Hunters may still use the phone report system, but the online and mobile systems are fast, convenient, and easy for hunters to accurately enter information.
Learn more about harvest reporting and find more information on CWD.
