Game and Fish encourage hunters to have deer tested for CWD

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) will again offer a variety of free options to have harvested deer tested for chronic wasting disease (CWD) during the 2021-22 deer hunting season. In all, 105 testing locations will be available throughout the state to have your deer tested for CWD.

According to AJ Riggs, wildlife health biologist for the AGFC, 7,824 CWD samples were collected last year, and 95% of those samples were voluntarily submitted from hunter-harvested deer. A total of 261 positive CWD cases were identified from those samples, and 96% of the positive cases came from deer taken by hunters.

The most popular method for hunters to have their deer tested is through the AGFC’s system of drop-off containers throughout the state. Freezers are available throughout the state to drop off samples of harvested deer for testing. Simply bring the deer’s head with 4 to 6 inches of the neck attached and any antlers removed to the location and place it in one of the provided plastic bags with your name and contact information on the card provided. The AGFC will collect these samples and have them analyzed by the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission laboratory. Testing results should be available within two to three weeks.Riggs says anyone who submits a positive sample will be notified via phone as soon as the results come back. Riggs says the bottom half of the information card that the hunter keeps will have a code on it so that the hunter can verify results for themselves online through a confidential code.

In addition to the CWD sample locations, 57 taxidermists are available to pull samples for hunters free of charge. Some taxidermists have agreed to take samples from any deer submitted, even if it is not one that will be mounted.

All testing locations are available at agfc.com/cwd. Some of the locations have changed from last year, so hunters are encouraged to look ahead of time and find a sample location closest to their hunting area and note hours of operation

All testing locations will remain open until Feb. 28, the last day of the archery deer season.

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