JACKSON, Wyo. — According to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (Game and Fish) hunters across the state have submitted over 4,800 lymph node samples from deer and elk for chronic wasting disease testing thus far this hunting season.
“The samples are a valuable part of helping Game and Fish understand the disease and achieve CWD monitoring goals. As the hunting season continues, hunter-submitted samples remain important,” said Game and Fish today.
Game and Fish has targeted Deer Hunt Areas 1-6, 19, 24, 25, 27-33, 41, 46, 47, 50-53, 61, 66, 74-77, 124, 130, 131, 134, 135, 138-146, 150-157, 163, 165, 169 and 171. New this year; Deer Hunt Areas 96 and 97 require mandatory lymph nodes submissions for testing.
Elk focus hunt areas include 13, 15, 21, 41, 45, 67-71, 75, 77-85, 88-91, 97, 98, 102-105, 108, 127 and 130.
“We’ve had good participation in our CWD sampling program this year,” said Hank Edwards, wildlife health laboratory supervisor. “But, we still need more samples to meet our goals, so please submit from your later-season elk and deer harvests.”
Continued monitoring of CWD over time is important to help Game and Fish understand the potential impacts of the disease as well as evaluate future management actions for deer and elk.
For more information about how to submit CWD samples for testing click here.
