RICHMOND, VA - Since Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) has been detected in seven deer harvested in Frederick County, Virginia, deer hunters must follow carcass importation regulations in other states when they transport a deer carcass out of Virginia ( www.cwd-info.org/) and must follow Virginia importation regulations when transporting carcasses into the Commonwealth.

Carcass import restrictions for hunters from neighboring and nearby states hunting in Virginia are listed here:

• Kentucky, North Carolina: Deer harvested from anywhere in Virginia must be boned-out or quartered so the brain and spinal cord are removed.
• Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia: Whole deer carcasses are allowed from Virginia except those originating from Virginia's CWD Containment Area, which must be boned-out or quartered so the brain and spinal cord are removed.
• Tennessee: Whole deer carcasses are allowed from Virginia except those originating from anywhere in Frederick or Shenandoah Counties, which must be boned-out or quartered so the brain and spinal cord are removed.

Additional restrictions exist for Virginians who hunt out of state and bring venison back to Virginia. For information regarding carcass-restriction zones throughout the U.S. and in Canada and deer parts allowed to be brought into Virginia from these zones, please visit www.dgif.virginia.gov/wildlife/diseases/cwd/. Carcass import restrictions for out-of-state Virginia hunters hunting in a neighboring or nearby states are listed here:

• Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee: No restrictions
• Pennsylvania: Whole deer carcasses* from anywhere in Pennsylvania are prohibited from entering Virginia.
• Maryland: Whole deer carcasses* from Allegany County are prohibited from entering Virginia.
• West Virginia: Whole deer carcasses* from Hampshire, Hardy, and Morgan Counties are prohibited from entering Virginia.

* Carcasses are allowed if boned-out or quartered so the brain and spinal cord are removed.

It is also recommended that hunters not use natural urine-based lures to attract deer or to mask human scent, since such products could contain CWD prions or other disease agents.

VDGIF is continuing several management strategies in the northern Shenandoah Valley (Frederick County and the City of Winchester west of I-81 and the portion of Shenandoah County west of I-81 and north of Route 675) in response to the detection of CWD. These strategies include the following:

All deer killed by hunters within the CWD Containment Area on November 15, 22, and 29, 2014, must be brought to a designated sampling station for CWD testing. CWD sampling stations include Cather's Market, Crossroads Grocery, Gore Grocery, Shawnee Springs Market, and T&R Processing in Frederick County and Larkin's Store and Graden's Supermarket in Shenandoah County. Hunters can still check their deer via telephone or Internet but must bring the deer to a designated CWD sampling station on the dates above.

Special hunting season regulations will continue to apply on private lands in Clarke, Frederick, Shenandoah, and Warren Counties and the City of Winchester, including: a daily bag limit of two deer per day, full season either-sex early and late muzzleloading seasons on private lands in Shenandoah County. Earn-A-Buck is in effect for Clarke, Frederick, and Warren counties, and the City of Winchester. Additionally, feeding of deer is prohibited year-round in Clarke, Frederick, Shenandoah, and Warren counties, and the City of Winchester, and rehabilitation is prohibited for any deer that originates from within the CWD Containment Area.

To assist with Containment Area (CA) surveillance, VDGIF is strongly encouraging hunters who are successful in the CA on days other than mandatory sampling days to volunteer the head and neck from their deer by bringing it to a self-service refrigerated drop station, located in the following places:

• Frederick-Winchester Conservation Club, 527 Siler Road, Winchester (north of Gainesboro)
• Walker's Cash Store, 3321 Back Road, Woodstock (intersection with St. Luke Road)
• North Mountain Fire and Rescue, 186 Rosenberger Lane, Winchester (off Rt. 600, behind Tom's Market)
• Rock-Enon Boy Scout Camp, 292 Rock Enon Springs Road, Gore, Va. 22637
(The refrigerator is on the porch at Garrabrandt Lodge - 1st building on right)

CWD has been detected in 22 states and two Canadian provinces. The disease is a slow, progressive neurological (brain and nervous system) disease found in deer, elk, and moose in North America. The disease ultimately results in death of the animal. Symptoms exhibited by CWD-infected deer include staggering, abnormal posture, lowered head, drooling, confusion, and marked weight loss. There is no evidence that CWD can be naturally transmitted to humans, livestock, or pets; however, the VDGIF strongly advises against consuming meat from any game animal that appears ill prior to death. Anyone who sees a sick deer that displays any of the signs described above should contact the nearest VDGIF office immediately with accurate location information. Please do not attempt to disturb or kill the deer before contacting the VDGIF. More information on CWD can be found on the VDGIF website at www.dgif.virginia.gov/wildlife/diseases/cwd/.