The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reminds hunters, meat processors, taxidermists and others of new regulations now in effect regarding transporting deer, elk and other cervid carcasses into Missouri and within the state, and of new regulations on cervid-carcass-disposal requirements for meat processors and taxidermists.

MDC says the new regulations of the Wildlife Code of Missouri are part of MDC’s ongoing efforts to slow the spread of the deadly disease called Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), which affects deer, elk, and other members of the deer family, called cervids.

Regulation changes for hunters who harvest deer in Missouri from a CWD Management Zone county are:
· Deer harvested in CWD Management Zone counties must be telechecked before any parts of the carcass may be transported out of the county of harvest.
· Whole carcasses and heads of deer harvested in CWD Management Zone counties may only be transported out of the county of harvest if the carcass is delivered to a licensed meat processor and/or taxidermist within 48 hours of exiting the county of harvest.
· The following carcass parts may be moved outside of the county of harvest without restriction:
o Meat that is cut and wrapped or that has been boned out;
o Quarters or other portions of meat with no part of the spinal column or head attached;
o Hides from which all excess tissue has been removed;
o Antlers or antlers attached to skull plates or skulls cleaned of all muscle and brain tissue;
o Upper canine teeth; and
o Finished taxidermy products.

Regulation changes for hunters bringing deer and other cervids into Missouri from another state are:
· Hunters may no longer transport whole cervid carcasses into the state.
· Heads from cervids with the cape attached and no more than six inches of neck in place may be brought into Missouri only if they are delivered to a taxidermist within 48 hours of entering Missouri.
· There is no longer a requirement that cervid carcass parts coming into the state be reported to the MDC carcass transport hotline.
· The following cervid parts can be transported into Missouri without restriction:
o Meat that is cut and wrapped or that has been boned out;
o Quarters or other portions of meat with no part of the spinal column or head attached;
o Hides from which all excess tissue has been removed;
o Antlers or antlers attached to skull plates or skulls cleaned of all muscle and brain tissue;
o Upper canine teeth; and
o Finished taxidermy products.

Regulation changes for taxidermists and meat processors are:
· Taxidermists and meat processors throughout the state are required to dispose of deer, elk, and other cervid parts not returned to customers in a sanitary landfill or transfer station permitted by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
· Proof of disposal must be retained for 12 months for meat processors and for three years for taxidermists.

According to MDC, most deer hunters should not be affected by the new regulations and most meat processors and taxidermists are already properly disposing of deer carcasses.