Chronic Wasting Disease testing to occur this weekend throughout state
Ryan Shiner
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Missouri Department of Conservation is holding a mandatory sampling this weekend for Chronic Wasting Disease as the November firearms portion of deer season opens.
The department will use the findings from this weekend during the annual targeted deer removal between January and mid-March. The procedure has the MDC working with local hunters and landowners to hunt deer in CWD-heavy areas.
“Surveillance is a really important part of our overall approach because it tells us where the disease is,” MDC Cervid Program Supervisor Jason Isabelle said. “It tells us the location of the disease and it also tells us what the distribution of the disease is, it also helps us to understand where the disease is spreading.”
At the sampling station for no cost, hunters will be asked to show their permit or Telecheck ID with their deer. The deer will be sampled for their lymph nodes, which are taken and sent to the University of Missouri for testing. The MDC will give hunters a tracking card for each sample, which will be updated later with the results of the test. The department will also ask hunters to point out on a map where the deer was found.
Hunters with a CWD-positive sample will be notified. While there have been no cases of a human contracting CWD, the CDC and the department do not advise people to eat deer meat that is positive with CWD.
Samples can also be taken from deer with its cape removed or just the head and neck of the animal. Hunters looking to mount their deer can still stop at a station for a tracking card to give to their taxidermist for later sampling.
Isabelle adds that the number of positive CWD cases in Missouri has been on the rise, but has stayed relatively low. He reports that around 1% of samples last year tested positive for CWD; however, states with a 5% positive test rate tend to be at risk for outbreaks.
“If we were to hit about 5% of the herd having the disease, that’s really that tipping point or inflection point, where once you hit 5%, it’s just a matter of a few years where you’re at 10%, 15%, 20%,” Isabelle said.
Sampling and testing will occur in select counties on Saturday and Sunday, including:
Audrain County – Mexico High School and Van-Far High School
Boone County – Ashland Optimist Club, MDC Central Regional Office
and Conservation Research Center and Hallsville Primary School
Callaway County – North Callaway High School, Mokane Lions Club Park and Whetstone Creek Conservation Area
Chariton County — Bossville Wholesalers, Keytesville MODOT Facility and Gabbi Jo’s Stop and Go
Cole County — Cole County Public Works Shop in Brazito and Conservation Commission Headquarters
Howard County – Fayette High School
Maries County — Vichy Community Park
Miler County – Eldon, Iberia and Osage high schools
Moniteau County — Moniteau County Fairgrounds and Co-Mo Connect Electric Co-op
Morgan County – Stover High School and Ozark Christian School
Osage County — Chamois Access, MDC Rich Fountain Shop, Linn Fairgrounds and Park
Randolph County – Rothwell Park
The MDC also has voluntary CWD testing throughout deer season, which Isabelle recommends for any hunters living in CWD-positive areas.
Hunters in CWD-heavy areas are also recommended to follow proper CWD management rules from the MDC. This includes not using feed or salt to lure deer to a location and properly disposing of the deer either in a landfill or where the deer was found. Hunters are also encouraged to harvest an additional deer when in CWD-heavy areas.
“white tails are an extremely important resource ecologically in our state, but also to the citizens of the state,” Isabelle said. “We have almost half a million people that deer hunt, deer hunting generates over a billion and a half a year into our economy and supports over 13,000 jobs based on the latest figures, so it’s a really cherished resource.”