JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) remind deer hunters that they will be holding a mandatory CWD sampling during the opening weekend of the November portion of the gun season, November 13-14, for hunters who hunt deer in counties in the MDC management zone.
CWD is a fatal infectious disease in deer and other members of the deer family (cervids) that ends up killing any animals it infects. There is no vaccine or cure. Cervid encephalopathy can be spread through direct contact between deer, through improper disposal of deer carcasses, and into the environment when deer come in contact with infectious material from other deer. Hunters play a vital role in helping the MDC manage the disease by having their deer tested and monitoring carcass movement restrictions. Learn more at mdc.mo.gov/cwd.
MDC management area
MDC refers to counties where CWD was found and counties within 10 miles of where CWD was found as part of its CWD management area. The counties in the CWD management area are: Adair, Barry, Camden, Cedar, Chariton, Christian, Clark, Crawford, Franklin, Gasconade, Hickory, Howell, Jefferson, Knox, Laclede, Linn, Macon, McDonald, Mercer, Oregon, Ozark, Perry, Polk, Pulaski, Putnam, St. Charles, St. Clair, St. Francois, Ste. Geneviève, Stone, Sullivan, Taney, Warren and Washington. Camden, Laclede, McDonald and Pulaski counties were added to the MDC management area this year.
Mandatory CWD sampling on November 13-14
Hunters who harvest deer in all counties in the CWD management area during the opening weekend of the November portion of the gun deer season (November 13 and 14) are required to bring their deer slaughtered or head on harvest day to one of the many MOC mandatory sampling stations located throughout the area. Sampling and test results are free. MDC staff working in these locations will follow COVID-19 health security guidelines.
Hunters must present their deer at a mandatory MDC sampling station in Harvest County, with a few exceptions. Deer that will eventually be delivered to a meat processor or licensed taxidermist within 48 hours, or deer heads that will be left at the MDC CWD’s mandatory sampling station for disposal after sampling, may be transported to a sampling station in any county.
Find the locations of CWD’s mandatory sampling stations online at mdc.mo.gov/cwd or from MDC 2021 Fall Deer and Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information brochure.
Sampling for CWD takes only a few minutes and involves an incision by MDC staff into the throat of the slaughtered deer to remove lymph nodes for testing. Tissue samples are sent to an independent laboratory for analysis. Hunters will receive a card with information on obtaining free test results for their deer after sample processing. Hunters can get their CWD test results for free online at mdc.mo.gov/cwdResults. Results are generally available within four weeks or less from the time of sampling.
Hunters showing males intended for taxidermy should notify MDC staff. Staff will complete paperwork and notify hunters of participating taxidermists who collect CWD tissue samples. The cap can also be removed from the animal before being transported to a sampling station.
Before arriving at a mandatory MDC sampling station:
- Country dress and Telecheck stag.
- Bring the carcass or just the head.
- The capes can be removed for taxidermy before arriving at a station.
- Place deer in vehicles with easily accessible heads and necks.
- Make sure the person who harvested the deer is present.
- Be prepared to find the location of the harvest on a map.
- If you are using a paper permit, have it detached from the deer for easy access.
- If you are using the MO Hunting app, have permit information available.
Mandatory MDC sampling greatly increases the number of tissue samples that MDC can collect in a short period of time. The increased number of samples gives scientists at MDC a much better understanding of the distribution and prevalence of the disease – where it is found and how many deer can be affected. It can also help find new cases in new areas.
The opening weekend of the November portion of the armed deer season is the two most popular hunting days for most deer hunters. Hunters take about a third of the state’s total annual deer harvest during those two days. Focusing on this key weekend gives the MDC the best opportunity to collect the largest number of tissue samples during a very concentrated period of time.
Voluntary CWD sampling all season statewide
MDC also offers voluntary statewide CWD sampling and testing of deer harvested throughout the deer season at selected locations statewide. Locations include some MDC offices during regular business hours, cooperating taxidermists and meat processors (hours vary), and self-service freezers where hunters can leave deer heads for sampling and testing .
Hunters can get their CWD test results for free online at mdc.mo.gov/cwdResults. Results are generally available within four weeks or less from the time of sampling. Find voluntary sampling locations and more information online at mdc.mo.gov/cwd or by contacting a regional MDC office at mdc.mo.gov/contact-engage/regional-mdc-offices.
Carcass movement restrictions
Hunters must adhere to carcass movement restrictions for deer harvested in a county within the MDC management area and when bringing in parts of harvested deer and other harvested deer, such as elk or moose, in Missouri from another state.
For hunters who harvest deer in Missouri in a county within the MDC Management Zone:
- Deer must be tele-verified before parts of the carcass can be transported out of the harvest county.
- Whole carcasses can only be transported out of the harvest county if they are delivered to a licensed meat processor.
- Deer heads may only be transported out of Harvest County if delivered to a licensed taxidermist or approved CWD sampling station within 48 hours of leaving Harvest County. However, on November 13-14, the deer, or head, must be taken on harvest day to a mandatory MDC sampling station.
- The following carcass parts may be moved outside of Harvest County without restriction:
- Cut and packaged or boneless meat.
- Quarters or other portions of meat without any part of the spine or head attached.
- Skins from which all excess tissue has been removed.
- Wood or antler attached to cranial plates or to skulls cleansed of all muscle and brain tissue.
- Finished taxidermy products.
For hunters bringing deer and other deer harvested to Missouri from another state:
- Hunters can no longer transport whole cervid carcasses around the state.
- Heads of deer with the cape attached and no more than six inches of neck attached may only be brought into Missouri if delivered to a licensed taxidermist within 48 hours of entering Missouri.
- There is no longer a requirement that parts of cervid carcasses entering the state be reported to the MDC Carcass Transport Hotline.
- The following deer parts may be transported into Missouri without restriction:
- Cut and packaged or boneless meat.
- Quarters or other portions of meat without any part of the spine or head attached.
- Skins from which all excess tissue has been removed.
- Wood or antler attached to cranial plates or to skulls cleansed of all muscle and brain tissue.
- Upper canines.
- Finished taxidermy products.
Learn more about hunting safety, mandatory CWD sampling and carcass disposal through the MDC video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jn5uABH77Oo.
Share the harvest
MDC encourages deer hunters to share their harvest. Missouri’s Share the Harvest program helps deer hunters donate game to those in need. To participate, take the slaughtered deer to a licensed meat processor and let the processor know how much game to donate.
Deer harvested in the CWD Management Area can only be donated to approved processors under the Share the Harvest CWD testing program and must be tested for CWD to be accepted for donation. Deer that are sampled for CWD prior to delivery to the processor must have the MDC CWD barcode number when presented to the processor. Participating processors will sample or remove the heads of all other deer slaughtered in the CWD management area.
Deer harvested outside of the CWD Management Area can be donated to any Share the Harvest processor. Learn more online at mdc.mo.gov/share or from the MDC 2021 Fall Deer and Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information brochure.
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