CWD Sampling

A retired professor of veterinary medicine at Texas A&M, Dr. Don Davis was asked by the Texas Deer Association to do a comprehensive review of the literature concerning chronic wasting disease or CWD. "The premier organization representing deer and elk farmers across the United States, the American Cervid Alliance, released a scientific report regarding Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). The report outlines the disease's transmission, geographic distribution, and effect on deer populations (or lack thereof). A few key findings of the report are that CWD is prevalent in less than one percent in over one million deer tested nationally.

One state that wants to be involved in testing is Idaho. The Panhandle Region of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) is asking hunters to help with a surveillance program looking for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). This is part of a general surveillance, rotational sampling strategy that IDFG initiated in 2017 to monitor for CWD.

Fish and Game staff are seeking voluntary sample submissions from hunters that harvest white-tailed and mule deer in the region. Biologists will be operating check stations around the region this fall where samples will be taken from interested hunters' deer. Samples are collected by removing the lymph nodes located near the base of the deer's jaw. The department will also have freezers at various locations in the region to collect heads from hunters who wish to have their deer sampled.

Fish and Game would also like samples from salvaged road-killed deer. Individuals who pick up a road-killed deer are encouraged to bring the head from the deer to the Regional Office in Coeur d'Alene or to deposit the head in one of the freezers located around the region. It is important that heads from road killed deer have accurate information about the date of salvage and the location of pick-up (highway and milepost marker number).