If you harvest a deer from designated counties in the CWD Management Zone (see map at right) during Nov. 11-12, 2023, you must take your deer — or just the head — on the day of harvest to one of the following CWD sampling stations listed below. Hunters are reminded to follow carcass transportation regulations when traveling to CWD sampling stations.
Sampling stations are open from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The counties for mandatory sampling are Adair, Barry, Barton, Bollinger, Caldwell, Carroll, Cedar, Chariton, Clay, Clinton, Crawford, Dallas, Franklin, Gasconade, Grundy, Hickory, Jasper, Jefferson, Linn, Livingston, Macon, Madison, Montgomery, Oregon, Perry, Polk, Pulaski, Putnam, Ray, Ripley, Schuyler, St. Clair, St. Francois, Ste. Genevieve, Stone, Sullivan, Taney, Vernon, and Washington.
The CWD Management Zone consists of all shaded counties. In the counties shaded gray with black dots, if you harvest a deer during Nov. 11-12, 2023, you must take it (or the head) on the day of harvest to a mandatory CWD sampling station (see map/list below). CWD sampling is not mandatory in counties shaded blue.
Tips for Visiting a Mandatory Sampling Station
- Field dress and Telecheck your deer before arrival.
- You can bring the carcass or just the head with at least 6 inches of the neck attached. (It is OK to remove the cape before you get to the sampling station.)
- The person who harvested the deer must be present.
- Be prepared to provide your Conservation Number and point out the location of harvest on a map.
- If using a paper permit, have it detached from the deer for easy access. If using the MO Hunting app, have your permit and Telecheck information readily available.
- Position the deer in your vehicle with the head and neck accessible.
Having Trouble Finding a Sampling Station?
Simply type the GPS coordinates from the table above into the search engine on your smartphone or tablet. Most will show the location on a map and guide you there with turn-by-turn directions.
For questions about CWD sampling stations in:
- Central Region (573) 815-7900: Gasconade, Montgomery, or Pulaski counties.
- Northeast Region (660) 785-2420: Adair, Macon, Schuyler, or Sullivan counties.
- Northwest Region (816) 271-3100: Caldwell, Carroll, Chariton, Clay, Clinton, Grundy, Linn, Livingston, or Ray counties.
- St. Louis Region (636) 441-4554: Crawford, Franklin, Jefferson, or Washington counties.
- Kansas City Region (816) 622-0900: Cedar, Dallas, Hickory, Polk, St. Clair, or Vernon counties.
- Southwest Region (417) 895-6880: Barry, Barton, Jasper, Stone, or Taney counties.
- Ozark Region (417) 256-7161: Oregon or Ripley counties.
- Southeast Regional Office (573) 290-5730: Bollinger, Madison, Perry, Ste. Genevieve, and St. Francois counties.
How Sampling Works
- CWD sampling takes only a few minutes and consists of cutting an incision across the neck of harvested deer to remove lymph nodes for testing.
- Tissue samples are sent to an independent lab for testing.
- There is no approved test for CWD on live deer.
- Hunters presenting bucks bound for taxidermy should inform MDC staff of that. Staff will complete paperwork and inform the hunters about participating taxidermists taking CWD tissue samples. The cape may also be removed from the animal prior to being taken to a sampling station.
- Hunters will be given a card with information about getting free test results for their deer after samples are processed.
Why MDC Does Mandatory Sampling
Mandatory sampling dramatically increases the number of tissue samples MDC can collect in a brief period of time. The increased number of samples gives MDC scientists a much better understanding of the distribution and prevalence of CWD — where it is and how many deer may have it. It can also help find new cases in new areas.
Mandatory Sampling during Opening Weekend of Firearms Season
Opening weekend of the firearms deer season is the most popular two hunting days for most deer hunters. Hunters take about a third of our state’s total annual deer harvest during those two days. Focusing on this key weekend gives MDC the best opportunity to collect the most tissue samples during a very concentrated time period.