I put in for a Montana muley/whitetail tag. I had a question about bringing a head and cape back in to Texas. I know CWD is a problem in Montana. Can I legally bring the head of a cervid back into Texas or would I have to get the taxidermy work done up there?

I am pretty sure you can bring back the cape and the "cleaned skull." In most states that have CWD restrictions they are concerned with the brain tissue and spinal cord.

That said, "I am pretty sure" but not 100% sure....so I am interested to see the comments to your post.

A lot of states have no restrictions, others do, so you have to do your homework. I know the I 35 corridor, which is what I traveled, to hunt in Texas. Missouri, has a 24 hour reporting requirement from states with CWD, so you can transit it without stopping. Minnesota's rules only apply to animals taken in a CWD declared zone. The carcass must be fully processed with no spinal tissue, the skull plate must be cleaned, hide and cape are OK.

When you return, please disinfect your boots as they can be a vector to spread disease from the field there to the field here.

I shot a mule deer in 2013. We caped it out and cut the horns off the skull. I'm almost certain it's the law to leave the brains. At least everyone caped there's in camp. It was better anyway... Threw the cape with dry ice in a cooler and made it simple for 3 day ride back to Texas