The archery deer season is underway in Wisconsin.
Hunters are encouraged to test deer for the deadly Chronic Wasting Disease. Northern Wisconsin is one of the priorities areas the Wisconsin DNR is hoping to get samples from.
In the Northwoods, CWD has been detected in wild deer in Vilas, Oneida, Lincoln, and Langlade counties. There were five new cases last year in Oneida County.
While there’s been no cases of humans getting it, health organizations recommend not eating any meat from a deer that tests positive.
Hunters are also asked to properly dispose of deer carcasses to help reduce the chance of it spreading somewhere new.
That may be more of a challenge this year as the Wisconsin DNR is cutting back on the number of deer disposal dumpsters.
“Due to rising operational costs and budgets overall, and decreasing revenue, some of those will impact CWD operations, and one of those being the dumpster availability,” said Erin Larson, the DNR Deer Herd Health Specialist.
It’s not yet known where all the dumpsters will be places. Larson says an interactive map will be updated later next month.
How To Test Your Deer From the DNR:
Any hunter in the state may choose from the following testing options:
- Self-service kiosks, open 24/7: Kiosks contain supplies for hunters to drop off a deer head with 5 inches of neck attached.
- A helpful video tutorial is available to show you how to submit your sample information using the online form.
- In-person with cooperating partners: Meat processors and other businesses can collect the deer head for sampling or remove the lymph nodes at the time of drop-off. This is a convenient option for hunters who intend to do a European or skull mount.
- If a taxidermist is not a cooperator, ask to get the caped-out head back to submit at a kiosk for a shoulder mount.
- At-home lymph node extraction: Hunters may pick up a kit from a kiosk ahead of time, extract the retropharyngeal lymph nodes using the provided instructions and return the lymph nodes to the DNR or a kiosk for testing.
- Follow the printable step-by-step instructions to extract lymph nodes and prepare them for testing.
- By appointment with local DNR staff: Hunters can contact their local wildlife management staff to schedule an in-person appointment. Please note, the availability for these appointments is limited.
CWD results will typically be available within 2 weeks. Hunters can find the nearest sampling location using the DNR’s CWD Sample and Disposal Locations map.
Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease
Another deer herd health concern is the current epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) outbreak in southeastern Wisconsin.
There are more than 1,500 estimated cases reported in and around Washington County.
Larson says it’s not expected to impact this year’s hunting season.
“It's certainly true that localized areas may experience pretty high mortality rates from EHD, but what we know about this disease and what we've seen from other outbreaks in Wisconsin and in other states is that the impacts from the disease are short-lived, and populations will rebound quickly,” said Larson.
Larsons says it’s safe for people consume deer infected with EHD as humans can’t get the virus.
