WDFW bans wildlife feeding in parts of Spokane County to slow spread of chronic wasting disease

SPOKANE — In an effort to manage the spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD), the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) passed an emergency rule banning the feeding of deer, elk, and moose in parts of the Department’s Eastern Region 1. 
 
CWD is a fatal illness of cervids, which include deer, elk, and moose in Washington. It is caused by mutated proteins known as prions which can contaminate the environment and be transmitted between animals through feces, saliva, urine, and other bodily fluids.  
 
Wildlife feeding is often well intended but can be harmful to wildlife for several reasons. Feeding draws animals together where they can transmit CWD to each other. One of the most effective ways members of the public can help prevent the spread of CWD is to abstain from feeding wildlife.  
 
Other negative impacts of wildlife feeding include habituating wild animals to humans, aggressive behavior towards people and pets when attempting to obtain food and drawing animals across roadways where they can be hit by vehicles while attempting to access feeding sites. 

The emergency wildlife feeding rule makes it an infraction to place, deposit, distribute, or scatter feed including but not limited to grain, hay, minerals, salt, fruit, or other such substances or food types to feed, lure or attract deer, elk, or moose in WDFW's Game Management Units (GMU) 124 (Mount Spokane), 127 (Micah Peak), and 130 (Cheney) (see attached map). Those GMUs were chosen as they are closest to where a deer was found in north Spokane County earlier this year that tested positive for CWD.  

This rule does not apply to normal agricultural practices including cultivation, production, and harvest of crops including but not limited to, fruit, vegetable, hay, and grains; animal husbandry related to the care and feeding of domestic livestock and poultry. The full text of the emergency rule change (PDF) can be found on WDFW’s website. 

Another way members of the public can help manage the spread of CWD is to report sick or dead deer, elk, or moose to WDFW. More information on CWD, including other rules related to it and how to have harvested cervids tested for the disease, is on the WDFW website.  

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife works to preserve, protect and perpetuate fish, wildlife and ecosystems while providing sustainable fish and wildlife recreational and commercial opportunities.