Trophy Without Testing: Protocols Every Hunter Should Know

  

In states like Missouri, where Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) has been confirmed in wild deer populations, trophy hunting without testing isn’t just risky it’s a public health blind spot. While no human cases of CWD have been documented, the CDC considers it a theoretical risk due to its similarity to other prion diseases.

Prion diseases are a rare but deadly class of neurological disorders caused by misfolded proteins that trigger irreversible brain damage. While CWD affects deer, elk, and moose, it belongs to a broader family of prion diseases that have crossed species boundaries before. For a full overview of human and animal prion diseases including Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), BSE (mad cow disease), and scrapie see the CDC’s official resource:
📎 CDC: About Prion Diseases

 

Trophy Without Testing: CDC Protocols Every Hunter Should Know

Why CWD Matters to Trophy Hunt

CWD is a fatal neurological disease caused by misfolded proteins called prions. These prions concentrate in the brain, spinal cord, eyes, lymph nodes, and spleen. Even if a deer looks healthy, it may carry infectious prions in the very tissues prized by trophy hunters. That means the risk isn’t just to the herd it’s to the hunter, the taxidermist, and the community. 

  Protocols for Handling Deer Trophies

To reduce exposure risk, follow these recommend the following precautions:

Wear latex or nitrile gloves when field dressing or handling carcasses. Avoid cutting through brain, spinal cord, or lymph nodes. Bone out the meat and dispose of high-risk tissues such as brain, spinal cord, lymph nodes, and spleen at a designated landfill or through approved incineration. Do not leave these tissues at the harvest site, as prions can remain active in soil and pose long-term risks to wildlife and community health. Sanitize all tools and surfaces with a bleach solution (50/50 water and household bleach). Request individual processing if using a commercial meat processor. Have the deer tested for CWD before consuming or mounting.

These steps aren’t just for meat safety they’re essential for ethical trophy handling. Hunters who skip testing and ignore protocols may unknowingly expose themselves or others to contaminated tissue.

📎 CDC: About Chronic Wasting Disease
📎 Florida Wildlife Commission: CWD Hunter Precautions PDF
📎 Texas Parks & Wildlife: Common Sense Precautions PDF

 

🏹 Missouri’s Testing Gaps

In Missouri, mandatory CWD testing is enforced during the opening weekend of firearms season in designated counties. However, urban bow hunts like those allowed in Joplin often occur without testing requirements, despite being in high-risk zones.

This means:

  • Trophy deer may be harvested and transported without testing
  • High-risk tissues may enter homes, taxidermy shops, and disposal sites
  • Hunters may unknowingly contribute to environmental contamination 

 Bottom Line

Trophy hunting without testing isn’t tradition it’s exposure.
 protocols exist to protect hunters, processors, and communities.  In CWD zones, gloves aren’t optional they’re protection.  

Author Disclaimer

This article is written for educational and informational purposes only. It does not reflect personal opinions, endorsements, or political positions. All content is intended to support public understanding of wildlife management, ordinance impact, and conservation science. The material presented is based on publicly available data, cited research, and verified agency reports. It is considered newsworthy under fair use and is designed to help readers learn more about the issues affecting their community.

If readers have questions, concerns, or wish to verify ordinance details, they are encouraged to contact:

For wildlife emergencies or to report illegal activity, MDC’s Operation Game Thief hotline is available at 1-800-392-1111.

I’m a professional writer, digital artist, and nature photographer. I document seasonal patterns, creative work, and the quiet wild that lives beside us through blog posts.

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