Licensed taxidermists and processors can actively contribute to protecting North Carolina’s deer herd by participating in the NCWRC's voluntary Cervid Health Cooperator Program (CHC).

Taxidermists and processors are crucial to North Carolina’s CWD surveillance efforts. In January 2021, the first case of CWD in southwestern Virginia was detected because a collaborating taxidermist sent a sample to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources as part of the state’s CWD surveillance program. In March 2022, the first case of CWD in North Carolina was confirmed, close to the southwestern Virginia CWD management area, through the help of a collaborating taxidermist. 

The NCWRC is aware of concerns about potential impacts to taxidermists or processors if CWD is detected from samples collected at their facility. The NCWRC values the cooperation of your business and the service you provide to our deer hunters. There are no regulatory processes that would prohibit your facility from continuing to operate in the event CWD is detected in a deer that your facility handled. The NCWRC would not publicly release information on the origination of a positive CWD test result, including any taxidermist or processor that may have handled that animal. However, the NCWRC is required to comply with North Carolina Public Records Law, G.S. Chapter 132, and such information could potentially be released to individuals who formally request it.

Visit the Cervid Health Cooperator Program page for more information.

Download a Cervid Health Cooperator Program handout. 

Return to main CWD page.