Over the past few months, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game removed 82 wild mule deer that had slipped under fencing into a captive elk facility in Game Management Unit 60A after hunters reported seeing them inside during the 2025 season. Although no elk at that facility have tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), other facilities in the region have had recent cases, and because there’s no reliable live test for CWD — and wild deer can’t legally remain in captivity — officials determined lethal removal was the most responsible option to prevent potential spread.
The deer were taken by a mix of public hunters and agency staff, tested for CWD (with 76 negatives so far and no positives), and the meat was either kept by hunters or, after negative results, processed and donated to local food banks, with costs covered jointly by Fish and Game and the Idaho State Department of Agriculture.
Read the full press release by Idaho Fish and Game here.
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