Washington State bans feeding of elk, moose, and deer near Spokane to prevent chronic wasting disease spread.

Washington State has enacted an emergency rule banning the feeding of elk, moose, and deer in three hunting districts near Spokane to combat chronic wasting disease (CWD). This is the first such prohibition by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), which also introduced a ban on hunting with bait, mandatory CWD testing for nearby hunters, and restrictions on transporting animal parts. CWD is a fatal disease affecting cervid nervous systems.