Landfill deer to be killed to help control CWD

White-tailed deer that come onto the Flathead County Landfill property will be killed by state wildlife officials to help control the spread of chronic wasting disease in the Flathead Valley. 

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials this fall confirmed 10 cases of the fatal disease in a herd of white tails around the landfill north of Kalispell.  

According to Region 1 spokesperson Dillon Tabish, biologists believe deer coming onto the landfill property might be in contact with infected carcasses that have been disposed there. The disease is spread through bodily fluids, either through direct contact or indirectly through contaminated soils, food or water. 

“There are some deer that are coming in and out of the landfill, particularly in the winter as they look for winter range habitat,” Tabish said. “That’s what we are worried about.” 

The disease was first detected in October in a symptomatic buck at the landfill, marking the first case in a wild herd in Hunting District 170, which encompasses most of the valley. Wildlife officials have since killed about 30 other white tails at the landfill, resulting in nine more confirmed cases of the disease. To date, 331 animals have been tested for chronic wasting disease in District 170, and the 10 white-tailed deer at the landfill remain the only documented positives. 

A continuation of the euthanizing efforts at the landfill was recently approved by the Region 1 Fish and Wildlife commissioner to help confine the disease to that area. 

Hunters are encouraged to properly dispose of carcasses at Class 2 facilities like the Flathead County landfill, but the property is not fully fenced. Fish, Wildlife and Parks is working with the county to come up with containment solutions to keep the deer out. 

Flathead County Public Works Director Dave Prunty said there’s always been deer around the solid waste site. 

“We’ve got timber, places to hide, they like us,” he said. “We have them walk around the facility and walk up to where the garbage is at.” 

Prunty estimates about half of the 270-acre property is fenced with 6-foot chain link. It is recommended that 8-foot fencing be installed to keep the deer out. 

“We’re working with a contractor to get some estimates,” said Prunty, adding that grants could help fund the project. 

Prunty said carcasses disposed of at the landfill are treated like typical household garbage. He said the “animal pit” concept that concentrates carcasses to one area is no longer used within the waste industry as it causes issues with foul smells. 

State game wardens will be responsible for shooting any white-tailed deer that enter the landfill. Tabish said that work is done at night when the public and staff are not on site. Landfill operations are not expected to be disrupted. 

Typically, meat from euthanized deer is given to local food banks, but deer killed at the landfill won’t be donated due to health concerns. 

“We don’t want to waste game, but nobody wants to eat dump deer,” Tabish said. 

Statewide this year, there have been 321 positive cases of chronic wasting disease in samples sent to the state lab. In Northwest Montana, Hunting District 103 directly west of the Flathead Valley, has had nine confirmed cases. District 104 has had four positive samples, while District 100 has had 10. 

Sometimes called zombie deer disease, chronic wasting disease is a contagious neurological disease that affects deer, elk and moose. Wildlife experts say that while it doesn’t pose a risk to people, it is always fatal to infected animals. Infected animals typically look sickly, are drooling and have drooping ears. It was first detected in Montana’s wild herds in 2017. 

There is no known transmission of the disease to humans. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that hunters not consume the meat if the animal tests positive.