Idaho Fish and Game commission approves chronic wasting disease hunt

BOUNDARY COUNTY, Idaho. — The Idaho Fish and Game Commision approved a nine-day chronic wasting disease (CWD) surveillance hunt starting Aug. 24.

Fish and Game wants to collect additional samples to better understand the prevalence and distribution of the disease.

300 white-tailed deer tags will be available for the surveillance hunt, which will run from Aug. 24 to Sept. 1 in a small portion of Unit 1.

Tags will be sold only in Bonners Ferry at the public overflow boat parking lot directly south of the Boundary County Search and Dive Rescue boat launch (6821 Riverside Street, 83805) on Thursday, Aug. 22 from 5:30-8:00 p.m.

Discounted tags cost $10 each, including fees.

If any tags remain, they will be sold at the Panhandle Regional Office in Coeur d’Alene starting the morning of Aug. 23.

Participants must be briefed by Fish and Game personnel and agree to all hunt stipulations.

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Fish and Game wants to collect 200 CWD test samples from this area with special requirements for hunters who participate, including:

• Tags are valid for either-sex, white-tailed deer only.
• Tags are available to Idaho residents only.
• Tags may only be purchased for eligible hunters and their spouse or dependent children on site.
• Hunters must present a valid Idaho hunting license to purchase a tag. Licenses will not be available for purchase at the tag sale location in Bonners Ferry.
• Tags will be "extra" tags that do not affect a hunter’s ability to participate in other deer hunts.
• Hunters must present the head of any harvested deer to a regional office or designated drop-off site in Bonners Ferry within 24 hours of harvest for mandatory CWD testing.

Other hunt details will be provided when a tag is purchased. Fish and Game will contact the hunter if a deer they harvested tests positive for CWD.

For more information please visit the Idaho Fish and Game website or call the Panhandle Regional Office at (208) 769-1414.

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