State tightens CWD import rules for hunters

DAVENPORT — The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is tightening efforts to curb the spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in Lincoln County, part of the state’s Eastern Region, where the disease was confirmed in 2024.

New and existing import regulations for hunters aim to prevent the spread of the fatal deer disease, with specific guidelines for those transporting harvested deer, elk, moose, or caribou.

Since 2022, WDFW has barred whole carcasses from entering Washington from other states or provinces, or from Region 1’s 100-series Game Management Units to other parts of the...