The Wisconsin DNR is once again encouraging hunters to get their deer tested for Chronic Wasting Disease.
The deadly deer disease has been popping up occasionally in northern counties the last several years.
While there have been no reported cases of CWD in humans, health officials do not recommend eating the meat from deer that test positive.
“It is still free for any hunter, but we do have areas that we're especially interested in getting more samples from. Those are our sampling priority areas, mostly in central and northern Wisconsin, around some newer detections,” said Erin Larson, the Wisconsin DNR Deer Herd Health Specialist. “That really helps give us a good picture of what's occurring out on the landscape and on what level CWD is in some of those areas.”
Vilas, Oneida, Lincoln, and Langlade Counties are included in the DNR’s list of priority areas.
To see a map of CWD sampling locations near you, you can visit the DNR’s CWD Sampling webpage.
While the DNR is testing for CWD, it is not testing for PFAS in the Stella area like it did last year.
Earlier this year, the DNR issued consumption advisories for deer in the Stella area because of PFAS contamination.
The new guidance encourages people to limit meals to once a month for deer harvested within a 5-mile radius of the Town of Stella's town hall. You should not eat the liver at all.
The DNR is not offering PFAS testing at this time and there are not a lot of private options, according to Jasmine Batten, the DNR Wildlife Health Section Supervisor.
“It is an expensive test, and we do not have a mechanism for individual deer testing. Right now, in terms of our research in that area for this year, there is not additional testing in that area,” said Batten. “You could contact the state lab of hygiene, that is where our testing is done. But I think for most people at this point in time that that testing is likely cost prohibitive.”
The DNR is encouraging the use of its disposal sites to prevent the spreading of disease.
Because of CWD, there are baiting and feeding bans in most Wisconsin counties, including Oneida, Vilas, Forest, Lincoln, and Langlade counties.
