Wildlife officials in Tennessee said four hunters have been charged with illegally importing carcasses of white-tailed deer with chronic wasting disease into the state.
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency said the hunters were charged in November with importing deer carcasses from Virginia, a state that confirmed the presence of the disease in 2009.
The agency said the hunters brought entire deer carcasses that had not been properly prepared into Tennessee.
The agency has placed importation restrictions for deer, moose and elk carcasses from any state that has found a positive case.
Chronic wasting disease has been documented in deer in 23 states and two Canadian provinces.
