BILLINGS — Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks department is seeking 1,000 special deer licenses to issue to hunters in an attempt to test 300 deer for chronic wasting disease.
The Billings Gazette reports the Fish and Wildlife Commission will meet next week to consider granting the licenses for the special hunt planned for southern Montana.
The state agency is requesting to have the licenses go on sale by Dec. 11 for a hunt starting a few days later and lasting through mid-January. A second hunt period would occur immediately after.
Officials say the killed deer will be tested for the disease in order to determine the spread. Officials say the hunt also aims to reduce the spread by reducing the population.
The contagious, fatal disease can infect elk, whitetail deer and moose.