MDC encourages hunters in NEMO to have deer sampled for CWD all season

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is again asking deer hunters to have their deer sampled for chronic wasting disease (CWD). Hunters play an important role in helping MDC monitor the disease and the health of Missouri’s deer herd.    

CWD is a contagious, deadly brain disease of white-tailed deer and other members of the deer family, called cervids. It has been found in Missouri and MDC is working with hunters and others to limit the impact of the disease on Missouri’s deer herd. Testing harvested deer for CWD is a vital effort to help identify where cases of the disease are in the state. Learn more about CWD at mdc.mo.gov/cwd. 

MDC will again conduct mandatory CWD sampling of harvested deer during the opening weekend of the November portion of the firearms deer season -- Nov. 14 and 15 – in select counties around the state. MDC has moved mandatory CWD sampling to a four-year county rotation. Mandatory CWD sampling will now be conducted in every county of the state once over the next four years. Learn more about mandatory CWD sampling at mdc.mo.gov/cwd under the Mandatory CWD Sampling tab. 

Counties in the northeast region of Missouri where mandatory CWD sampling will be required this year for hunters who harvest deer on Nov. 14 or 15 are Monroe, Pike, and Ralls. Mandatory CWD sampling locations for these counties are: 

Monroe County:

• Monroe County Fairgrounds, 415 East Locust Street in Paris

Pike County:

• Pike County Fairgrounds, 15894 Highway 54 in Bowling Green

Ralls County:

• Mark Twain High School, 21622 Highway 19 in Center

MDC is also offering voluntary CWD sampling opportunities for hunters who harvest deer in any county at any time during Missouri’s deer hunting seasons. These additional sampling opportunities include MDC offices, cooperating taxidermists and meat processors, and self-service freezers. 

Voluntary sampling locations in the northeast region of Missouri include: 

Adair County:

• MDC Northeast Regional Office, 3500 South Baltimore Street in Kirksville (freezer and office)

Clark County:

• Nick’s Farm and Home, 22424 Highway 136 in Kahoka (Freezer)
• Wyaconda Fire Department, 28579 County Road 197 in Alexandria
• Kahoka Meats, 115 South Jefferson in Kahoka
• Hilltop Butcher Shop LLC, 28579 County Road 197 in Alexandria

Knox County:

• Edina Fire Department, 208 East Monticello in Edina (Freezer)

Lewis County:

• Murphy’s, 209 North Jackson Street in Monticello (Freezer)
• City of Canton Recycling Center, 5019 North Fourth Street in Canton (Freezer)
• Lost and Found Taxidermy, 18689 Highway 6 in Lewistown
• Outlaw Meats/Liberty Locker, 109 Liberty Street in La Belle

Macon County:

• New Cambria Fire Department, 107 West Jones Avenue in New Cambria (Freezer)
• MFA Macon, 1802 North Missouri Street in Macon (Freezer)

Marion County:

• MDC Hannibal Office, 8965 Hiway 36 Suite 1 in Hannibal (Freezer and office)
• Marion County USDA Office, 6465 Highway 168 in Palmyra (Freezer)
• The Country Butcher Shop, 524 East Water Street in Palmyra
• Walnut Hill Farms Custom Meat Processing, 1671 Walnut Hill Lane in Philadelphia

Monroe County:

• Monroe County USDA Office, 18771 HWY 15 in Paris
• River’s Edge Taxidermy, 17319 Monroe County Road 735 in Paris
• T&S Burcher Shop, 21257 Monroe Road 285 in Paris

Pike County:

• Crossroads, 1001 Business 61 South in Bowling Green (Freezer)
• Double D Taxidermy, 26920 Pike 225 in Eolia

Putnam County:

• Unionville Fire Department, 526 South 22 Street (Freeze)

Ralls County:

• Hobby Hut, 28880 Highway 19 in Perry (Freezer)
• Center Locker Service, 107 South Public Street in Center
• Four Quarter Processing, 204 West Main in Perry
• Fur and Feathers Taxidermy, 10035 Pershing Road in Hannibal

Randolph County:

• Rothwell Park, 107 Rothwell Park in Moberly (Freezer)
• Higbee Fire Station, 100 Adams Street in Higbee (Freezer)

Schuyler County:

• The Outlet, 811 US 63 in Lancaster (Freezer)

Scotland County:

• Nutrien Ag, 14431 Highway 15 in Memphis (Freezer)
• The Catfish Place, 26410 Highway 136 in Arbela (Freezer)
• Brassfield’s Taxidermy, 1016 Milor Street in Memphis
• Missouri Meat Processing LLC, 26832 County Road 161 in Rutledge

Shelby County:

• USDA Office, 210 East Main in Shelbyville (Freezer)
• Parsons Custom Processing, 3305 Shelby 263 in Shelbyville

Sullivan County:

• City Hall, 4 South Green Street in Green City (Freezer)

Hunters using self-service freezers will need to remove the deer’s head in advance so it can be left in the freezer. Hunters should cut off the head (and antlers for bucks) while leaving about six inches of neck attached before coming to the freezer head drop-off location. Hunters will need to record their name and contact information, Telecheck ID number, and location where the deer was harvested on materials provided. Materials will be available at the freezer sites such as trash bags, zip ties, and data sheets that hunters can use in labeling their deer heads. MDC staff will collect the deer heads for CWD testing throughout the season aside from during the opening weekend of firearms deer season in the three mandatory CWD sampling counties. 

For an interactive map of all voluntary CWD sampling sites throughout the state, visit mdc.mo.gov and look under Voluntary CWD Sampling. 

Archery deer hunting runs through Nov. 13 and opens again Nov. 25 through Jan. 15, 2027. Firearms deer hunting opened with the early antlerless portion Oct. 9-11 followed by several other firearms portions through Jan. 5, 2027. For more information on deer hunting in Missouri, visit mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species/deer.