Properly Disposing of Animal Carcasses

Conservation makes Missouri a great place to hunt, and hunters are key to keeping it that way. To prevent the spread of diseases, such as chronic wasting disease (CWD) in deer, the Missouri Department of Conservation encourages all Missouri hunters, especially deer hunters, to dispose of carcasses from harvested animals properly.

• If you remove the meat from the carcass while you are still in the field, leave the carcass behind and bury it if possible.
• If you are processing harvested animals at your campsite or at home, place the carcass in trash bags. Make sure the bags are picked up by a trash service, or take them to a landfill.
• When processing deer, take the harvested deer to a licensed commercial processor to make sure the carcass is disposed of properly.
• For taxidermy work, always use a licensed taxidermist to ensure proper carcass disposal.