Lawmaker seeks to ban deer urine imports

HELENA — A Montana lawmaker is proposing a ban on deer and elk urine that hunters use to attract bucks, if it comes from a state with documented cases of chronic wasting disease.

Democratic Sen. Jill Cohenour also wants to keep out animal carcasses that come from those states with the fatal neurological disease.

Montana hasn’t found any wildlife with chronic wasting disease — and it wants to keep it that way.

But Fish, Wildlife and Parks spokesman Ron Aasheim says the disease has been found in two states and a Canadian province surrounding Montana and it is likely only a matter of time.

Mitch King of the Archery Trade Association says his organization has been working with commercial producers to ensure the deer urine they sell doesn’t come from animals with the disease.