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ST. JOSEPH, 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 deer. Testing harvested deer for CWD is a vital effort to help identify where cases of the disease are in the state.
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.
Counties in northwest Missouri where mandatory sampling will be required this year of hunters who harvest deer on Nov. 14 or 15 are Andrew, Atchison, Buchanan, Holt, and Nodaway. Mandatory CWD sampling locations for these northwest Missouri counties are:
MDC is also offering voluntary CWD sampling opportunities for hunters who harvest deer in any county during Missouri’s deer hunting seasons. These additional sampling opportunities include MDC offices, cooperating taxidermists and meat processors, and self-service freezers.
Voluntary CWD sampling locations in northwest Missouri are:
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.
The freezers will not be available during mandatory CWD sampling weekend, Nov. 14-15, in 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.
