State
CWD rules in Maryland
CWD zone status
Agency
Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Last verified
June 16, 2026
CWDCrossing provides informational summaries of state CWD carcass-transport regulations. Rules change annually pre-hunting-season; verify with both the origin and destination state wildlife agencies before transport. Failure to comply may result in citations. Not affiliated with the CWD Alliance, the National Deer Association, or any state agency.
Bringing a carcass into Maryland
Maryland is the regulating authority for what you can bring in. Restriction targets cervids from CWD-positive areas / states with CWD (not a universal all-state ban); codified at COMAR 08.03.04.22. CWD is present in Maryland. DNR page is geo-blocked from this environment; details verified via the official eRegulations Maryland CWD publication and Cornell LII text of COMAR 08.03.04.22.
Allowed for import
- boneless meat / meat with no part of spinal column or head attached
- hindquarters and front shoulders with no spinal column or backbone attached
- cleaned hide with no head attached
- skull plate cleaned of all meat and brain tissue
- antlers with no meat or soft tissue attached
- upper canine teeth (buglers/whistlers/ivories)
- finished taxidermy mounts
- tanned hides
Restricted from import
- whole carcass with spinal column or head
- spinal column/backbone
- brain tissue
- head
- lymph glands
Handling + processing
Carcasses from CWD areas must be processed before entering the state unless destined for a MD CWD Management Area or a CWD-authorized processor/taxidermist. 24-hour transit exception: travelers may pass through Maryland with whole carcasses from another state/province CWD management area if they remain less than 24 hours and no parts are disposed of or remain in-state.
Taking a carcass out of Maryland
When you hunt in Maryland and bring the carcass to another state, that destination state sets the rule. Because Maryland has confirmed CWD detections, several destination states apply their stricter "from a CWD-affected state" rule to carcasses originating here — plan to bring back lower-risk parts only.
Maryland on the CWD map
- CWD confirmed in state
- Under heightened surveillance
- No known CWD detections
Zone status is informational, not a hazard rating. Detections expand over time — confirm current status with each state's wildlife agency.
CWDCrossing provides informational summaries of state CWD carcass-transport regulations. Rules change annually pre-hunting-season; verify with both the origin and destination state wildlife agencies before transport. Failure to comply may result in citations. Not affiliated with the CWD Alliance, the National Deer Association, or any state agency.