The North Dakota Game and Fish Department has obtained the minimum number of deer samples needed this year from hunter-harvested deer in all hunting units in the state, according to Jacquie Ermer, wildlife disease biologist, Riverdale.
Hunters have been dropping deer heads off at collection sites throughout the hunting season so samples could be taken for testing of chronic wasting disease. “Collection sites are no longer set up,” Ermer said. “We were able to achieve our goal because of the support we received from meat processors and other parties involved in this effort.”
The goal of the Hunter-Harvested Surveillance program is to obtain a statistically significant sample (458) of animals in each of the eight surveillance units within a two-year period.
Samples for CWD testing will be sent to the Wyoming State Veterinary Lab. Results should be available within three months, and hunters will be notified only if a sample tests positive.