1. (1) Hunters SHALL submit samples for chronic wasting disease (CWD) testing from all deer harvested on any Wildlife Management Area (WMA), Special Opportunity Area (SOA), Community Hunting Area (CHA), State Waterfowl Refuges, or Physically Disabled Hunting Area (PHDA) located within a CWD High Risk Zone (HRZ) or Buffer Zone (BZ) at the WMA Check Station, or Drop-off Sampling freezer locations, or a scheduled DCNR Mobile Sampling location.
2. (2) Hunters SHALL submit samples for CWD testing from all deer harvested within a High Risk Zone (HRZ) of a Chronic Wasting Disease Management Zone (CMZ) at DCNR mobile sampling locations or Drop-off Sampling freezer locations on scheduled dates announced by press release and posted to the website below. All other days, hunters are encouraged to submit samples for CWD testing. www.outdooralabama.com/CWD-Info. As an incentive to increase CWD samples submitted for testing on scheduled dates, hunters shall receive a CWD Sampling Permit to harvest one additional antlered deer from within a CMZ for each CWD sample submitted for testing from deer harvested within a HRZ. No more than two additional CWD Sampling Permits will be issued per hunter above the season bag limit, combined for an HRZ and BZ. CWD Sampling Permits are non-transferrable.  CWD Sampling Permits are only available at WMA Check Stations and DCNR Mobile sampling locations on scheduled dates.
3. (3) Hunters SHALL submit samples for CWD testing from all deer harvested within a Buffer Zone (BZ) of a CMZ at DCNR mobile sampling locations or Drop-off Sampling freezer locations on scheduled dates announced by press release and posted to the website below. All other days, hunters are encouraged to submit samples for CWD testing. www.outdooralabama.com/CWD-Info. As an incentive to increase CWD samples submitted for testing on scheduled dates, hunters shall receive a CWD Sampling Permit to harvest one additional antlered deer from within a CMZ for each CWD sample submitted for testing from deer harvested within a BZ. No more than two additional CWD Sampling Permits will be issued per hunter above the season bag limit, combined for the HRZ and BZ. CWD Sampling Permits are non-transferable. CWD Sampling Permits are only available at WMA Check Stations and DCNR Mobile sampling locations on scheduled dates.
4. (4) All deer harvested in a CMZ must be properly recorded and reported through the Game Check System pursuant to Regulation 220-2-.146.
5. (5) No cervid or cervid body parts taken from an HRZ shall be transported outside of an HRZ. This restriction shall not apply to meat of a cervid species that has been completely deboned; cleaned skull plates with attached bare antlers, if no visible brain or spinal cord tissue is present; unattached bare antlers or sheds; raw capes, if no visible brain or spinal cord tissue is present; upper canine teeth, if no root structure or other soft tissue is present; and finished taxidermy products or tanned hides.
6. (6) No cervid or cervid body parts taken from a BZ shall be transported outside a CMZ. This restriction shall not apply to meat of a cervid species that has been completely deboned; cleaned skull plates with attached bare antlers, if no visible brain or spinal cord tissue is present; unattached bare antlers or sheds; raw capes, if no visible brain or spinal cord tissue is present; upper canine teeth, if no root structure or other soft tissue is present; and finished taxidermy products or tanned hides.
7. (7) Deer processors or taxidermists shall apply for a DCNR Carcass Disposal Transport permit when transporting outside of the designated zones, as applicable. www.outdooralabama.com/CWD-Info
8. (8) Cervid rehabilitation shall not be permitted within a CMZ nor shall Cervid be transported out of a CMZ for rehabilitation purposes.
9. (9) Hunters may find DCNR Best Management Practices for carcass disposal at the following link: www.outdooralabama.com/CWD-Info.

10. (10) There shall be no baiting or supplemental feeding of wildlife within a CMZ. Grain, salt products, minerals, or consumable natural and manufactured products may not be placed or put out for wildlife with the following exceptions:

    1. (a) Seed or grain used solely for normal agricultural, forest management, or wildlife food plot production purposes.
    2. (b) Feed solely placed inside an active hog trap.
    3. (c) Feed for attracting birds and squirrels with common bird and squirrel feeders placed within 100 feet of a residence or occupied building.

    4. (d) Feed as permitted by the Commissioner of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

       (e)Following any positive that results in a new CMZ or an expanded area within an existing CMZ, deer hunting by the aid of bait shall be allowed within a CMZ or expanded area until the last day of the current CMZ deer season.

11. (11) Any licensed game breeder facility, permitted propagator, or the holder of a public display of captive wildlife permit within a CMZ will be allowed movement within that CMZ only.

12. (12)  A licensed game breeder or permitted propagator facility located within a CMZ is prohibited from transferring or releasing captive cervids outside a CMZ unless all of the following are met pursuant to Ala. Code § 9-11-30(e):

    1. (a) Compliance with all postmortem testing requirements defined in regulation 220-2-.138 and all conditions set forth in the CWD Monitoring Program designated by the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI).

    2. (b) Compliance with one of the following options:

       1. I. Facilities shall test every three (3) years a minimum of fifty percent (50%) of all cervids 12 months of age or older within the facility at time of annual inspection using a State Veterinarian approved CWD diagnostic antemortem test and have results of "not-detected." Any individual cervid being transported must have received results of "not-detected" from the State Veterinarian approved CWD diagnostic antemortem test within two-hundred and forty (240) days prior to movement;
       2. II.  Facilities that maintain continuous double fencing, as defined in 220-2-.138, shall test every three (3) years a minimum of twenty-five percent (25%) of all cervids 12 months of age or older within the facility at time of the annual inspection using a State Veterinarian approved CWD diagnostic antemortem test and have results of “not-detected.” Any individual cervid being transported must have received results of “not-detected” from the State Veterinarian approved CWD diagnostic antemortem test within two-hundred and forty days (240) days prior to movement; or
       3. III. An individual cervid with a USDA established GEBV score at or less than -0.056, with proof of certificate from the North American Deer Registry (NADR), is eligible for movement without additional herd testing provided the cervid has received results of “not-detected” from the State Veterinarian approved CWD diagnostic antemortem test within two-hundred and forty days (240) days prior to movement.
    3. (c) Written authorization is received from DCNR.
13. (13) Pursuant to Ala. Code § 9-11-30(e), the State Veterinarian has designated a rectal anal mucosal associated lymphoid tissue (RAMALT) biopsy tested by immunohistochemistry (IHC) as the approved CWD diagnostic antemortem live test. In order for a sample to be valid, the antemortem CWD test shall be taken by an accredited veterinarian in accordance with USDA CWD Program Standards antemortem collection procedures and submitted within ten (10) days of collection to an ADAI diagnostic laboratory, the USDA National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL), or a diagnostic laboratory authorized by the State Veterinarian. Any cervid requested for transfer or release must have results of “not-detected” from the State Veterinarian approved diagnostic antemortem CWD test prior to movement.

14. (14) If the postmortem testing requirements in regulation 220-2-.138 have not been met, annual postmortem testing compliance may be achieved by the following:

    1. (a) If a cervid 12 months of age or older dies and is submitted within ten (10) days of death for postmortem testing, and the ADAI lab determines the sample was untestable, a licensed game breeder may submit one State Veterinarian approved CWD diagnostic antemortem test from cervids 12 months of age or older and receive a “not-detected” result for the antemortem test to be considered postmortem testing compliant.
    2. (b) If a cervid 12 months of age or older dies and no sample was submitted to an ADAI lab:
    3. I. The licensed game breeder facility may submit three State Veterinarian approved CWD diagnostic antemortem tests from cervids 12 months of age or older for each missed postmortem test and receive a “not-detected” result for those antemortem tests to be considered postmortem testing compliant for purposes of movement for the following license year beginning October 1; or
    4. II. Demonstrate compliance with all postmortem testing for the remainder of current license year and the subsequent license year to be considered as compliant with postmortem testing requirements.

15. (15) If CWD is detected in a licensed game breeder facility or permitted propagator facility, all facilities will be placed on non-movement qualified status. The process of trace-back and trace-forward will be performed to identify potential CWD-exposed facilities that will require CWD testing. Any facility identified as CWD-exposed will be placed on non-movement qualified status until testing can confirm CWD prevalence. Pursuant to Ala. Code § 9-11-30(d), the department may require the postmortem testing of a captive cervid if CWD has been detected in a cervid possessed by the licensee or a cervid has been transferred to the licensee from another licensee and is epidemiologically linked to a CWD detected cervid possessed by the transferring licensee. Each CWD-exposed facility will be treated as an individual population and a CMZ. Pursuant to Ala. Code 9-11-30(d), each cervid identified as epidemiologically linked to a CWD-detected cervid shall require postmortem testing.  If the epidemiologically linked cervid is not able to be located, then the facility shall conduct antemortem testing on all cervids (whole herd) in the facility to determine CWD prevalence within the facility. The antemortem testing must be done within 60 days from notification of a CWD  detection using a State Veterinarian approved CWD diagnostic antemortem test.

    Informational Note: Cervids in a double fenced facility shall at all times be contained within the innermost fence unless the cervids are being moved between pens or structures within the facility.

Author: Christopher M. Blankenship

Statutory Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§9-2-2, 9-2-6, 9-2-7, 9-2-12, 9-11-30, 9-11-244.

Penalty: As provided by law.

History: New Rule: Published May 31, 2022; effective July 15, 2022. Amended: Published November 30, 2023; effective January 14, 2024. Amended: Published May 30, 2025; effective July 14, 2025. Amended: Published February 27, 2026; effective April 13, 2026.