Photo collage of moose, deer and elk

Chronic Wasting Disease in Manitoba


Attention Deer and Elk Hunters in the CWD Surveillance Zone!

The new 2024 hunting game tag now includes a biological sample section to help further enhance Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) monitoring.

The Wildlife Branch encourages hunters to fill out the biological sample section of their new game tag when hunting in the CWD Surveillance Zone. By providing all the necessary information identified on the game tag and submitting as part of your sample, you’re doing your part to help us manage CWD in Manitoba.

The biological sample portion of the new game tag is optional and does NOT replace the requirement to complete the Wildlife Sample Receipt form when dropping off your samples at the drop-off depots.

For more information, see the 2024 Game Tags FAQ.


New - 2023 Hunter - Extracted Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Samples

Manitoba has had proactive programming in place for prevention and surveillance of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in wild cervids (deer, moose, elk and caribou) since 1997. The program includes CWD surveillance, prohibitions to prevent potentially CWD-positive animals and material from entering Manitoba, as well as various regulatory requirements to minimize unnatural clusters of animals in high-risk areas (e.g. through feeding or baiting).

On November 1, 2021, Manitoba announced the first CWD-positive case found in the province, located on the west side of the province near Lake of the Prairies. A mule deer buck in this area was observed to be unhealthy and acting unnaturally. It was euthanized by staff, tested, and confirmed to be infected with CWD. Additional findings of CWD have been confirmed to date as a result of department management actions.

In response to these detections, Manitoba is taking action to contain the disease and protect the province’s deer-family populations. More information about the provincial response is being shared regularly on this site as it becomes available.

What is CWD?

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a fatal disease of the central nervous system of deer, elk, moose and caribou, members of the cervid (deer) family. The disease is caused by one or more strains of self-propagating proteins, called prions. The prions, once transmitted, begin to propagate, first in the immune system (lymph nodes and tonsils) and later, in the brain, spinal cord and other organs. This disease belongs to a group of diseases called transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). TSEs tend to be species-specific and scientists believe that most are not naturally transmissible between different species.

What are the disease symptoms and can an infected animal be cured?

In early stages, infected animals can appear normal, while also spreading the disease.  As the disease progresses, animals tend to be less alert, and fearful, with a general unhealthy look and obvious weight loss.  As it progresses, infected animals become very thin and uncoordinated, with drooping ears and heads, are unaware of their surroundings and often have excessive drooling.  At this point, death is near. 

There is no cure for CWD. It is always fatal, with animals dying typically within two to three years and sometimes, as long as five years or more from the time of infection.

How is CWD spread?

Infected animals can shed prions in saliva, feces, urine, and possibly, even after death, through their remains. Animals are infected by direct (animal-to-animal) contact transmission or by indirect transmission from prions deposited in the environment. It should be noted that prions can survive in the environment for an extended period of time (e.g., possibly five years or more.)

Can people, or livestock, get CWD?

Currently, there is no direct evidence that CWD can be spread to humans or animals, other than members of the deer family, though the science is still developing in this area. The World Health Organization (WHO), Health Canada, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and numerous other public health agencies recommend against eating meat from CWD-positive animals. Available data suggest that risk of transmission to humans is low, but it is not zero. These public health agencies also recommend against feeding meat or other parts of CWD-infected cervids to other animals.

Regulatory Requirements and Current Restrictions

2023 Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Regulation Changes – NEW!!

The Wildlife Health Program is implementing CWD testing improvements for 2023/24.New amendments now provide an option for hunters to extract and submit the testable tissue samples themselves rather than submitting the cervid’s entire head. In addition, mandatory sample submissions periods have been extended from two days to seven days to allow hunters additional time to extract samples. See more information provided below:


Temporary Hunting Closures

There are no temporary hunting closures at this time


Mandatory Surveillance Requirements

By law, licenced hunters are required to submit biological samples mule deer, white-tailed deer, and elk harvested in the mandatory surveillance zone. This includes the areas of Game Hunting Areas (GHAs) 5, 6, 6A, 11, 12, 13, 13A, 18, 18A, 18B, 18C, 22, 23, 23A, 27, 28, 29, 29A, 30, 31, 31A, 32, 33, 35, and 35A

Hunters have the option of submitting the entire head and upper neck of harvested animals, or, hunters may extract and submit the testable tissues themselves. Testable tissues include:

  • Medial retropharyngeal lymph nodes and lower jaw of mule deer and white-tailed deer.
  • Brain stem (obex) and lower jaw of elk.

Since there is currently no reliable CWD test available for living animals, the province relies on the submission of these biological samples from harvested animals in order to test for CWD. Please submit samples to any of the department’s Drop-off Depots within seven days of harvesting.

Note: The requirement to submit the lungs and trachea (for Bovine Tuberculosis testing) of deer and elk harvested in GHAs 23 and 23A has been removed.

Feeding or Baiting Wild Cervids

Feeding or baiting wild cervids in all the above noted GHAs is illegal for everyone in Manitoba. Hunters are also prohibited from baiting cervids elsewhere in Manitoba, and feeding is not recommended. Information about why this is not recommended, is available in Manitoba’s Wildlife Smart fact sheet, Don’t Feed the Deer.

Possession of Cervid-derived Substances

Possession of any substance containing cervid bodily fluids (including urine, feces, saliva or scent glands) is prohibited in Manitoba.

Restrictions on Cervids Harvested Outside Manitoba

It is illegal for everyone to bring any deer, elk, moose or caribou harvested in another province or state into Manitoba unless the head, hide, hooves, mammary glands, entrails, internal organs and spinal column are first removed and left in the province or state of origin.

Deboned or processed meats are allowed. Antlers are allowed if they have been detached from the connecting bone plate, all hide and other tissue has been removed, and they have been treated with a solution of not less than 2% chlorine. Detached, unprocessed hides and capes are allowed if they are stored in a sealed, waterproof container from which no fluid, tissue or hair can escape and if they are being delivered to a tanner or taxidermist for processing no later than five days after entering Manitoba.

Submitting Samples

Where is Sampling required?

By law, licenced hunters are required to submit biological samples mule deer, white-tailed deer, and elk harvested in the mandatory surveillance zone. This includes the areas of Game Hunting Areas (GHAs) 5, 6, 6A, 11, 12, 13, 13A, 18, 18A, 18B, 18C, 22, 23, 23A, 27, 28, 29, 29A, 30, 31, 31A, 32, 33, 35, and 35A.

Hunters have the option of submitting the entire head and upper neck of harvested animals, or, hunters may extract and submit the testable tissues themselves. Testable tissues include:

  • Medial retropharyngeal lymph nodes and lower jaw of mule deer and white-tailed deer.
  • Brain stem (obex) and lower jaw of elk.

Please submit samples within seven days of harvesting to any of the department’s Drop-off Depots.

The department is reviewing the CWD sample program and additional sampling will likely be required in the near future to determine disease prevalence, both from within the current mandatory zone and elsewhere.

Where can I drop off my samples?

There are sample drop-off depots located throughout the province. Depot locations can be found here. This list will be kept up-to-date as additional drop-off locations are added.

When hunting in areas where sample submission is required:

  • submit samples within seven days of harvesting
  • use the poly bags provided at depots
  • be prepared to provide all information required to fill out the Wildlife Sample Receipt Form
  • antlers and heads will NOT be returned. Hunters wanting to retain antlers will be responsible for cutting their own antlers off or having a taxidermist remove materials needed for a trophy mount. Samples must still be submitted within the seven day time period.

What information do you need?

When submitting your sample, you will be expected to provide the following information:

  • date of kill
  • exact location of the kill (GPS coordinates or a legal land parcel location)
  • species
  • sex of the animal, and
  • contact information

Note that only complete samples with all required information will be tested for disease. Failure to submit the required sample material and all required information may result in prosecution.

Please keep your Sample Number as this will allow you to confirm testing results.

How will I be notified?

If a hunter’s sample tests positive for CWD, they will be immediately notified by phone. All results of hunter harvested samples will be posted on our website. Hunters will find their test results via the Sample Number provided when they submitted their head for CWD testing at a drop-off depot.

The province will be making every effort to expedite results, and more information will be released soon so hunters will know how to get their results quickly. The actual time to get test results will depend on the volume at the lab but it can take a few weeks. Options for additional testing capacity are being explored.

Sample Test Results

Sample test results for CWD will be posted on this website as they become available.

To confirm the result of a test, compare the Sample Number - located on the top-left corner of the Wildlife Sample Receipt Form to the list of CWD sample test results.

A sample reporting as “Negative for CWD” means that CWD was not detected in the sample. If a sample tests “Positive for CWD”, hunters will be immediately notified by phone and results made public. Public health agencies recommend that hunters not consume CWD positive animals.

If the result comes back as “Contact Wildlife Health Program”, it means the sample was not tested, and more information is required. Contact the Wildlife Health Program at cwd@gov.mb.ca , citing the sample number in the subject line. 

Some samples may be reported as “Untestable” for several reasons:

  • the wrong tissue type was submitted
  • mandatory information was not complete
  • the sample was missing, decomposed, damaged, or mandatory information was not provided.

To ensure successful testing of samples, submit samples within seven (7) days of harvesting.

If the sample number is not listed, it is likely still being processed. Try again at a later date.  Also, be sure to refresh the webpage each time you access.

CWD Sample Test Results


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