Lincoln County, NM.

Lincoln County has confirmed CWD. CDC and state wildlife agencies recommend testing harvested deer for CWD before consumption in CWD-positive areas, and not consuming meat from deer that test positive. There is no documented case of CWD transmitting to humans, but the recommendation is precautionary. EHD is a separate concern — meat from EHD-affected deer is safe to consume; EHD does not affect humans.

Yes — Lincoln County sits in a CWD-positive area, and New Mexico restricts movement of whole carcasses (including brain and spinal tissue) across designated zone boundaries. Verify the current rules with New Mexico Department of Game and Fish before transporting any harvest.

Most state wildlife agencies offer free or low-cost CWD testing of harvested deer at check stations or sample-drop locations during season. Contact the state agency for current testing locations and turnaround times.

This page summarizes publicly-reported information from New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, the USDA APHIS CWD distribution map, and the National Deer Association EHD tracker. Records flagged "estimated" mean we have not personally verified the specific record against a primary agency report — cross-reference before relying on the data for hunting decisions.