IDAHO — If you are planning to hunt deer or elk in Idaho this fall, there are some important rules about chronic wasting disease you need to know before you head out.
The Idaho Department of Fish and Game has updated its CWD testing requirements for this year, adding new mandatory testing units, removing others and reminding hunters about strict laws governing how harvested animals can be transported.
Fish and Game said Units 64 and 69 near Idaho Falls have been added to the list of units with mandatory CWD testing for deer. That means hunters who harvest a deer in either of those units are required by law to submit a sample for testing.
At the same time, Units 24 and 32A have been removed from mandatory testing requirements after two consecutive years of no CWD detections, according to Fish and Game.
Testing is still required in Unit 23, where a mule deer buck tested positive for CWD in fall 2023, officials said.
Here is a full breakdown of where mandatory deer testing applies this season:
CWD Management Zones
- Unit 14
- Unit 18
- A portion of Unit 1
Mandatory Testing Units
- Unit 23
- Unit 63A
- Unit 64 (new for 2026)
- Unit 69 (new for 2026)
Fish and Game said hunters must submit a head or lymph node sample within 10 days of harvest.
If you are hunting in Units 14, 18, or a portion of Unit 1, additional rules apply beyond just mandatory testing:
- It is unlawful to transport a whole carcass of a deer, elk, or moose out of a CWD Management Zone
- Heads or lymph nodes may be transported to Fish and Game for CWD sampling
- Antlers or skull caps may be kept after Fish and Game staff collect a sample, but the rest of the head must remain for proper disposal
- Heads should remain in the field if lymph nodes are removed for delivery to Fish and Game
- Caped animals with the skull may be taken to a taxidermist or meat processor, but cannot leave the CWD Management Zone and must still be presented to Fish and Game staff for sampling
- Hunters who keep the quarters should double-bag all bones and non-edible portions and dispose of them in a landfill after processing the meat
To submit a CWD sample, hunters have several options, including Fish and Game regional offices, check stations, sampling sites, and remote collection sites such as freezers or head barrels.
Fish and Game said staff is also available to help hunters collect lymph node samples.
Idaho law makes it illegal to import, transport, or possess carcasses or any part of a deer, elk, moose, or caribou from any state, Canadian province, or country with a documented case of CWD, according to Fish and Game.
Even if you are not hunting in a mandatory testing unit, Fish and Game encourages all hunters to voluntarily submit samples from deer and elk harvested anywhere in the state.
