Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 76 - WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES › Part V - Wild Quadrupeds and Wild Birds › Chapter 1 - Wild Quadrupeds › Section V-137 - Rules and Regulations for Chronic Wasting Disease Control Areas

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. Definitions
Cervid-
any animal of the family
Cervidae
including, but not limited to, white-tailed deer,
				  mule deer, elk, moose, caribou "reindeer", fallow deer, axis deer, sika deer,
				  and red deer.
Chronic Wasting Disease
(
CWD
)
-
Neurodegenerative disease found in most
				  deer species, including white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk, red deer, moose, and
				  caribou. It is infectious, always fatal, and has no treatment. CWD is part of a
				  group of diseases know as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) and
				  is similar to BSE (mad cow disease) in cattle and scrapie in sheep. These
				  diseases cause irreversible damage to brain tissue, which leads to excessive
				  salivation, neurological symptoms, emaciation, and death of the animal.
Control Area-
LDWF designated area consisting
				  of the CWD infectious zone and buffer zone where mitigation measures and
				  regulations are applied to curb further spread of the disease. The control area
				  shall be listed on the LDWF website.
LDWF-
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife
				  and Fisheries.
B. Baiting,
				placement of bait, or hunting over bait is prohibited within a LDWF designated
				CWD control area. It is the responsibility of hunters to check their hunting
				area for bait prior to each hunt. A baited area is an area on which salt,
				grain, or other feed has been placed, exposed, deposited, distributed, or
				scattered, if that salt, grain, or other feed could serve as a lure or
				attractant for wild quadrupeds or wild birds via ingestion. The use of approved
				bait not normally ingested by deer for feral hog trapping will still be
				allowed.
C. The export of any
				cervid carcass or part of a cervid carcass originating within a LDWF designated
				CWD control area is prohibited, except for: meat that is cut and wrapped; meat
				that has been boned out; quarters or other portions of meat with no part of the
				spinal column or head attached, antlers, clean skull plates with antlers,
				cleaned skulls without tissue attached, capes, tanned hides, finished taxidermy
				mounts, and cleaned cervid teeth.
D. Approved parts transported out of the CWD
				control area must be legally possessed. Approved parts must contain a
				possession tag with the hunter's name, address, LDWF license number, parish of
				harvest, date of harvest, and sex of deer. All cervid parts transported out of
				the control area that are in violation of the provisions of this ban shall be
				seized and disposed of in accordance with the Wildlife and Fisheries Commission
				and Department of Wildlife and Fisheries rules.
E. Prior to the 2022-23 deer hunting season,
				LDWF is directed to determine whether there is sufficient capacity to perform
				taxidermy services for cervids taken within the control area and report those
				findings to the Wildlife and Fisheries Commission. If it is determined that
				there is insufficient capacity to provide adequate taxidermy services for
				cervids harvested within the control area, LDWF shall establish a permitting
				system to be in effect no later than the opening of the 2022-23 deer hunting
				season to allow for uncleaned cervid heads to be transported out of the control
				area solely for taxidermy purposes.
AUTHORITY NOTE:
				  Promulgated in accordance with the Louisiana Constitution, Article IX, Section
				  7, R.S.
				  56:1,
				  R.S.
				  56:5,
				  R.S.
				  56:6(10), (13) and (15),
				  R.S.
				  56:20,
				  R.S.
				  56:112,
				  R.S.
				  56:116.1 and
				  R.S.
				  56:171 et
				  seq.