Source: Texas Animal Health Commission | Oct. 27, 2020
The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) held a regularly scheduled commission meeting by live audio and teleconference call on September 22, 2020. The commission adopted amendments to Title 4, Texas Administrative Code §40.6, concerning chronic wasting disease (CWD) Movement Restriction Zones to establish surveillance and containment zones in response to CWD confirmations in Kimble, Medina and Val Verde counties.
The newly-adopted rules will go into effect on November 5, 2020.
Val Verde County Zone
On Dec. 18, 2019, the TAHC received confirmation that a free ranging 5.5-year-old femalewhite-tailed deer harvested in Val Verde County tested positive for CWD. Accordingly, the Executive Director issued an order declaring a high risk containment zone for portions of Val Verde County. The newly adopted rule will replace the Executive Order and establishes a Containment Zone and Surveillance Zone 4 for Val Verde County.
Medina County Zone
On Jan. 28, 2020, the TAHC received confirmation that a 4.5-year-old male white-tailed deer and a 3.5-year-old female white-tailed deer harvested in Medina County tested positive for CWD. The newly amended rule takes the location of the two mortalities into consideration and establishes Containment Zone 3 boundaries in Medina and Uvalde counties and extends the surveillance zone boundaries in Uvalde County.
Kimble County Zone
On Feb. 26, 2020, the TAHC received confirmation that a 5.5-year-old female white- tailed deer held in a deer breeding facility in Kimble County tested positive for CWD. The newly amended rule establishes Surveillance Zone 5 in Kimble County.
With respect to the containment zones established by this rule making, TAHC staff worked collaboratively with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) to tailor the containment and surveillance zones boundaries to, as much as possible, follow recognizable features such as roadways and power line rights-of-way, and county boundaries.
TPWD requirements for CWD-susceptible species harvested within the CWD zones
Hunters harvesting mule deer, white-tailed deer, elk, red deer, or other exotic CWD susceptible species within the zones are REQUIRED to bring their animals to a TPWD check station within 48 hours of harvest. Carcass movement restrictions also apply to all CWD susceptible species leaving the CWD Zones. Hunters must check each animal harvested and receive a CWD receipt before taking any part of that animal from the CWD Zone, including any meat or quartered parts.
Exotic CWD-susceptible species include North American elk or wapiti, black tailed deer, red deer, reindeer, sika deer, moose and/or any associated subspecies and hybrids. Axis deer are not classified as a susceptible species.
For additional information on carcass movement restrictions, CWD zones, and TPWD check stations please visit https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/diseases/cwd.