A major part of fall for many Wisconsinites is deer hunting season.
Before hunters do anything with their harvest however, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is reminding them to test their deer for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).
The DNR defines CWD as a, "contagious, fatal neurological disease that affects the nervous system of deer, elk, moose and caribou."
The CDC along with several other health agencies warn against humans consuming any meat from deer that tested positive, though there have not been any reported cases of CWD infection in people.
If deer themselves have CWD, for months after they can appear healthy which is why testing them is so crucial.
The DNR said testing involves using the deer head with 5 inches of neck attached.
There are four main options for testing: 1. The DNR has 24/7 self-service kiosks; 2. meat processors and other local businesses collect the head for sampling; 3. hunters can pick up a kit ahead of time and do an at-home lymph node extraction; or 4. hunters can do it by appointment with local DNR staff.
Instructions and other resources for all four can be found on the WI DNR's website.
Test results come back relatively quickly usually.
"We actually had our fastest turnaround time last year which was about nine days statewide, so what that is, is form the time that the hunter drops off the deer at a sampling location to when we send the result out was about 9 days last year," said DNR Deer Herd Health Specialist Erin Larson.
Actual CWD signs are not shown by deer typically until about a year and a half of infection.
"Some of those common signs could be things like extreme emaciation, a lowered head, .... and at the very end sometimes they're not able to walk and will really be looking pretty awful," said Larson.
If a hunter's antlered deer tests positive, hunters will receive a non-weapon specific replacement harvest authorization valid for this season and next.
If antlerless, the same rules apply, but they get an either sex replacement for the same DMU and land type.
The DNR said dispose of deer carcasses properly in disposal dumpsters, landfills or transfer stations to prevent spreading the disease.
