The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission adopted a notice of intent to establish rules and regulations on the importation of cervid carcasses into the state during its July meeting Thursday in Baton Rouge.
 
The NOI would prohibit the importation of cervid carcasses except for deboned meat, antlers, clean skull plates with antlers, cleaned skulls without tissue attached, capes, tanned hides, finished taxidermy mounts and cleaned cervid teeth.
 
Cervids listed in the NOI include, but are not limited to, white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk, moose, caribou, fallow deer, axis deer, sika deer, red deer and reindeer.
 
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Deer Program Manager Johnathan Bordelon said this regulation would be an additional effort aimed at preventing the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). CWD has not been found in Louisiana, though Texas and Arkansas have recently reported cases of it. It has been documented in 24 states and two Canadian provinces.
 
“This will serve as another tool to limit the spread of CWD and other wildlife diseases,’’ Bordelon said. “Louisiana would become the 37th state with rules and regulations governing cervid carcass importation.’’
 
To view the full notice of intent, please visit http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/action-items.
 
Public comment can be submitted in writing by mail to: Johnathan Bordelon, LDWF Wildlife Division, P.O. Box 98000, Baton Rouge, LA 70898-9000, or via email to jbordelon@wlf.la.gov until 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 22, 2016.
 
For more information, contact Johnathan Bordelon at jbordelon@wlf.la.gov or 225-765-2344.