Each farm raised deer shall be identified with two IDs, at least one of which must be official. If the second ID is not official, it needs to be individually unique to the herd. At least one of the identifications must be visible. For Wisconsin herds participating in the CWD Herd Status Program, natural additions to the herd are not required to be identified, as noted above, prior to 12 months of age. (The exception would be natural born additions to a herd non-enrolled in the CWD Herd Status Program do not need to have two ID's.) For CVI identification, lab sample submission and the physical inventory, the veterinarian should include all of the IDs. Herd records should contain all of the ID's for each farm raised deer in the herd.
No farm-raised deer carcass, or part, may be taken off its premises without an official ID or dead deer tag. It is preferred that the farmer place an official ID in the carcass if not already present.
Owner qualified CWD samplers should include all ID's for the deer sampled on the CWD Sample Information Form. All identification tags must accompany the CWD samples to the laboratory.
Never reuse any ID tags.
Official ID
USDA NUES tags: 9 digit (35ABC1234 or 35WIABC1234) or 8 digit (35AB1234) with US shield
AIN ear tags: 15 digit (840 003 000 123 456) with US shield
ISO microchip: 15 digit starting with 840
AVID microchip: 9 digit (123-456-789) if implanted prior to 3/11/14
- "900" series microchip: (977s, 985s, 966s etc.) if implanted prior to 3/11/15
Unique ID
CWD plastic tag: 11 digit (35CV123-1234)
CWD plastic tag: 9 digit (WI-123-1234)
NAEBA elk tag: (WI ABC 123 A)
AVID and Non-ISO ("900" series) microchips are not official ID if implanted after the dates listed above but they can be used as "Unique" ID
Farm Bangle tag if the tag has been recorded on the farm census. If more than one color is being used, it is preferred that numbers are not duplicated in the herd to avoid confusion. (Ex. Red 35, Pink 35) Apply unique new numbers to deer when tagging. Do NOT reuse these tag numbers!
Dead Deer tag: (A 12345)
Dead Deer Tags
Farmers who are submitting carcasses or heads for CWD sampling need to have either an Official ID or a dead deer tag attached to the head. If using a dead deer tag, we also ask that an Official ID be placed in the ear or tongue of the carcass. If tags were removed from a trophy deer carcass at the farm for photos, the tags should be re-attached to the head in some manner prior to submitting the head to the veterinarian for sampling. If the carcass is from a natural born addition to a hunting preserve, it may not have been officially identified previously. In this case, we ask that Official ID be attached somewhere on the head prior to presenting it for sampling. The dead deer tag may also be attached. All ID tags present on the deer or attached later should be recorded on herd records
Microchips
If deer are identified with a microchip, please remember to inform meat inspectors or FSIS of the microchip as they are going to slaughter. Microchips need to be removed by inspectors at time of slaughter on any carcass inspected for human consumption.