Mandatory deer check stations, weekend of Dec. 9 - 10, in north Florida
FWC photo, young buck.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), along with its partners in chronic wasting disease (CWD) response efforts, reminds hunters participating in the deer hunting season during the upcoming weekend - December 9 - 10, 2023 - that all deer harvested in Holmes, Jackson and Washington counties must be checked at a staffed FWC check station.
Following confirmation of a positive test in June 2023 for CWD in a white-tailed deer in Holmes County, the FWC issued new executive orders outlining regulations designed to increase sampling and slow the spread of CWD in Florida deer. As part of the new rules, all deer harvested from December 9-10, 2023, in Holmes, Jackson and Washington counties must be checked at a staffed FWC check station prior to transporting the deer to the hunter’s home, a meat processor or a taxidermist, except deer harvested on licensed Game Farms or Hunting Preserves.
The purpose of these regulations is to help protect Florida’s white-tailed deer population by reducing the potential spread of CWD within the CWD Management Zone and to other parts of the state.
With the start of general gun season in Zone D over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, the FWC saw continued strong hunter support for CWD response efforts with sample submissions of hunter harvested deer in the tri-county area.
More than 400 samples from the Enhanced Surveillance Zone (Holmes, Jackson and Washington counties) have been tested since the initial detection of CWD. So far, CWD has not been detected in any other samples.
“We hope hunters in Holmes, Jackson and Washington counties will take full advantage of hunting opportunities this weekend, and we are looking forward to welcoming them at a nearby check station with their harvested deer,” said FWC Chief Conservation Officer George Warthen. “Hunters’ support is critical to slowing the spread of CWD in Florida.”
Check Station Locations
Calhoun County
Big Bend Sporting Goods
18290 Main Street North, Blountstown, FL
Holmes County
Westville Meat Market & Processing
2569 R.M. Ward Road, Westville, FL
Bonifay Forestry Office
2889 Forestry Drive, Bonifay, FL
Pinelog VFD
1652 FL Hwy. 81, Westville, FL
Esto Volunteer Fire Department
3312 2nd Avenue, Bonifay, FL
Choctawhatchee River WMA
Trail Head at Highway 2
off 2867 Church Street, Vernon, FL 32462
Jackson County
Talbot's Meat Processing
2135 White Pond Church Road, Alford, FL
Backwoods Wildlife Game Processing
2596 Obert Road, Cottondale, FL
Jackson County Extension Office
2741 Penn Avenue, Marianna, FL
Jackson Co. Fire Rescue
3556 SR 71, Marianna, FL
Apalachee Wildlife Management Area
2781 River Road, Sneads, FL
Chipola River WMA
Trail head at WMD sign
Hwy. 162, Marianna, FL 32446
Malone Volunteer Fire Department
5182 9th Avenuem Malone, FL
Buckshot Processing
2777 Pontiac Loop, Cottondale, FL
Graceville Fire Department
986 6th Avenue, Graceville, FL
Campbellton Park
5147 US Hwy. 231, Campbellton, FL
Washington County
Ecofina Carter Tract
2830 Chain Lake Road, Chipley, FL
Pine Log WMA
Long Lead Road, Ebro, FL
Vernon Fire Department
3550 Roche Avenue, Vernon, FL
Orange Hill Storage
897 Orange Hill Road, Chipley, FL
Additional Information
To receive updates about Florida’s CWD response, visit
public.govdelivery.com/accounts/FLFFWCC/subscriber/new.
Information about CWD, new hunting regulations, sample drop box locations and participating meat processors and taxidermists, monitoring statistics, hunter harvest test results, and movement and importation restrictions can be found at MyFWC.com/CWD.