Mule deer lethally removed from captive elk facility will be donated to local food banks

Over the past few months, Idaho Fish and Game has removed 82 wild mule deer from inside a high-fenced captive elk facility in Game Management Unit 60A. 

During the 2025 hunting season, hunters on adjacent lands reported seeing numerous wild mule deer inside the facility. It appears these animals gained access to the facility through gaps under the fence. While this facility has not had any captive elk test positive for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), it is subject to Idaho State Department of Agriculture’s (ISDA) 100% CWD testing requirement. Other captive elk facilities in Jefferson, Bingham, and Madison Counties have had multiple captive elk test positive for the disease during the past 18 months. 

 After evaluating several options, including hazing deer out of the enclosure, Fish and Game determined that the lethal removal of these deer was the only responsible course of action. There is no reliable way to test live animals for CWD, and wild deer cannot be kept in captivity. This difficult decision was made out of an abundance of caution to prevent any possible spread of CWD. 

 Captive elk facilities are regulated by ISDA in accordance with existing state laws and rules, while Fish and Game manages all wild deer and elk populations. The agencies have worked closely together and with the facility owner to implement the removal. 

 Eighty-two wild mule deer have been removed through a combination of public hunters drawn from the depredation hunt list and Fish and Game staff efforts.  All harvested deer are being tested for CWD, and thus far 76 have tested negative, with no positives. Results from the remaining deer are pending. 

 About half of the deer were harvested by public hunters and were kept for personal consumption. After testing negative for CWD, the remainder are being professionally processed and donated to local food banks.  IDFG and ISDA jointly paid for the processing of those deer. 

 For more information about CWD and Fish and Game’s management efforts, visit idfg.idaho.gov.