Why it Matters: With the deer hunting season in full swing across the country, state fish and wildlife agencies recommend hunters get their deer tested for Chronic Wasting Disease. Chronic Wasting Disease, or CWD, is a fatal, degenerative disease occurring in both farmed and free-ranging deer, elk, caribou, and moose. The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation encourages state legislators to work with state fish and wildlife agencies to help prevent the spread of CWD within their state.
Highlights:
- Chronic Wasting Disease has been detected in 35 states across the country, including the Great Plains Region.
- Nebraska Game and Parks (NGP) are providing hunters in CWD testing zone two options to test their deer, at an in-person check station or a free mail-in sampling kit.
- North Dakota Game and Fish (NDGF) is encouraging hunters from the northwestern portion of the state to bring their deer to Game and Fish offices, deer head collection sites, or using a self-sampling kit to test for CWD.
Chronic Wasting Disease is a progressive, fatal, degenerative neurological disease that has a long incubation period, and deer, elk, caribou, or moose that are infected with CWD may not present any visible signs of the disease for up to two years after they become infected. As CWD progresses, infected cervids show changes in their behavior and appearance. Currently, there is no known treatment or vaccine for CWD.
Since the deer hunting season is in full swing in the Great Plains Region, state fish and wildlife agencies are encouraging hunters to have their deer tested for CWD. Hunters testing their deer for CWD help state fish and wildlife agencies gather important information to help track the spread of the disease, while also tracking if the disease has spread to new areas. State fish and game agencies rely on hunters to achieve their conservation efforts, information on CWD, through testing, helps the state agency create management plans to help slow the spread of the disease. Nebraska Game and Parks is offering deer hunters in this year’s firearm deer season with two options for testing their deer. Hunters can either bring their deer to an in-person check station, or test through a free mail-in sampling kit. North Dakota Game and Fish is encouraging hunters from select units in the northwestern portion of the state to have their deer tested. Hunters in North Dakota can bring their harvested deer to Game and Fish district offices, deer head collection sites, or use a self-sampling kit.
For additional information on CWD and disease testing, please check your state’s fish and wildlife agencies website.
