New regulation established for use of natural deer lures and attractants in South Carolina
To take effect in the 2019-2020 South Carolina deer season, it is illegal to possess or use, for the purpose of hunting or scouting any wild animal in S.C., any substance or material that contains or purports to contain any excretion collected from a cervid (deer) including urine, feces, blood, gland oil, or other body fluid. This does not prohibit the use of synthetic products or substances collected by a hunter from deer legally harvested in S.C. This does not prohibit the use of synthetic products or substances collected by a hunter from deer legally harvested in S.C.
The majority of natural deer lures and attractants are made with fluids and secretions collected from captive cervids. Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), a transmissible or contagious, always fatal, neurological disease, has been documented in numerous captive cervid herds, therefore the potential exists for these products to be contaminated with CWD prions.Once introduced, the disease agent can remain viable in the environment, in the soil for example, were local deer may become infected. There is no way to either test the products for CWD or destroy CWD-causing prions. With the high level of uncertainty surrounding the use of such products, the department is following the lead of other states in proactively prohibited the use of them in order to minimize the potential for CWD introduction into South Carolina.
Why is the use of these products risky?
• The infectious proteins (i.e., prions) known to transmit CWD have been found in the urine, feces and saliva of infected individuals. CWD research conducted in Colorado showed that mule deer were able to be infected with CWD after exposure to just the urine, feces and saliva of infected deer.
• To make these commercial scents, urine from captive elk and/or deer is collected over a grate system that does not prevent contamination from feces, saliva, or other bodily fluids. Urine products are frequ