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SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Although the Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) mandatory sample collection for chronic wasting disease (CWD) testing has ended for this year, hunters still have opportunities to get harvested deer tested for CWD.
CWD is present in the state throughout the year – not just the two days in November when MDC staffs mandatory collection sites at select locations around the state. Because of this, MDC wants to remind hunters that they have other options for getting deer tested for CWD if they wish to do so. These opportunities are part of MDC’s ongoing efforts to track a disease that, at present, has no cure, is fatal to deer, and can readily spread from one deer to another.
One option for hunters are MDC offices that have staff trained in sample collection. Hunters are encouraged to call these offices in advance during normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.) to ensure appropriate staff for sample collection are available. In southwest and south-central Missouri, these MDC sample-collection offices are:
Another option for hunters who want their deer sampled for CWD is to take their harvested deer to a taxidermist or meat processor who is partnering with MDC in sample-collection. Availability and hours will vary at these businesses, so hunters need to call participants before taking their deer or deer head for sampling. Participants in southwest and south-central Missouri are:
MDC also maintains freezer drop-off sites in several counties. These are self-serve sites where hunters are responsible for packing their deer heads in the freezer and filling out the information on the tag that will go with the head. Packing supplies and tags are available at each site. Call 573-815-7901, ext. 7901or e-mail WildlifeHealth@mdc.mo.gov for information about these sites. Hunters need to remember that, in order for a sample to be collected, a deer head must have at least six inches of neck attached to it. Locations of these sites in southwest and south-central Missouri are:
Hunters can also have harvested deer tested for CWD by contacting the Missouri Department of Agriculture Animal Health Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory located at 701 N. Miller Ave. in Springfield. The phone number is 417-895-6861. There is a fee for CWD testing at this facility (testing at other locations listed above is free). Hunters residing outside of southwest Missouri can go to https://mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species/deer/chronic-wasting-disease/voluntary-cwd-sampling for additional CWD testing locations in the state. CWD test results and other general information about the disease are available at mdc.mo.gov/cwd.
