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Disposal and Transport of Deer Harvested in North Carolina

Since CWD was first detected in North Carolina in March 2022, preventing its accidental spread to new parts of the
state has become a crucial management goal. Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a fatal disease in deer that spreads
via infected saliva, urine and feces of live deer or the movement of deer carcasses and carcass parts; deer that appear
healthy may still be infected and able to spread CWD. Hunters can take action by following the precautions below
when transporting or disposing of deer carcasses.

Responsibly Dispose of Deer Remains in the Following Ways:

• Bury where you harvest: Whenever possible, deer remains should be buried on the property where the animal was harvested. Burial elsewhere is acceptable only if buried deep enough to prevent scavengers from reaching the material, and location of burial doesn’t violate CWD carcass transport regulations.
• Landfills: Double bag the deer remains for disposal at the closest landfill. Contact your area landfill or solid waste management provider for local policies and more information.
• Leave in place: If the methods above are not possible, deer remains may be left on the ground where the animal was harvested. While this will not prevent other deer or scavengers from coming into contact with potentially infected parts, at least those parts will remain in the general area where the deer was taken.