KALISPELL — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has established a new Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Management Zone in Hunting District 170 near Kalispell following the detection of CWD in whitetail deer at the Flathead County Landfill in October 2024.
Within this new zone, hunters can purchase an over-the-counter B License for either-sex whitetail deer. Each hunter is limited to one license, valid through the archery, general, heritage muzzleloader and late season (ending Jan. 15). There is not an overall quota on this new 170-20 B License.
With the management zone and B License, FWP will assess the prevalence and extent of CWD while reducing local deer density to slow the disease’s spread and lower its prevalence in the area. Hunters will be encouraged to get their harvested deer sampled for CWD.
“By implementing this CWD Management Zone and increasing harvest opportunities, we aim to reduce local deer density and curb the potential spread of this disease,” said Franz Ingelfinger, FWP wildlife biologist. “Hunting is the primary tool for monitoring and managing the spread of CWD, and we appreciate hunters helping us take an aggressive, localized approach to this.”
The proposed CWD Management Zone is centered around the Flathead County Landfill with an approximate 5-mile radius. Additionally, FWP is increasing the number of 170-00 antlerless whitetail B Licenses available per hunter from one to two, valid throughout Hunting District 170.
The detection of CWD at the landfill underscores the urgency of localized management. The management zone is strategically designed to focus harvest around the point of detection while minimizing impact on migratory deer populations wintering west of the Stillwater River, a natural geographic barrier or deer wintering on the Ray Kuhns Wildlife Management Area, which closes Dec. 1.
The measures also address rising urban deer conflicts in Kalispell, Whitefish, and Columbia Falls, all within miles of the landfill. FWP’s approach balances disease management with localized deer population control while protecting broader migratory herds.
CWD is a 100 percent fatal disease that infects members of the deer family, including elk, moose, mule deer, and white-tailed deer. Learn more at https://fwp.mt.gov/conservation/chronic-wasting-disease.
source: FWP
Photo: Pixabay
