With the November portion of Missouri’s fall firearms deer season opening Saturday, November 16, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) wants hunters, landowners and others to know key information about chronic wasting disease (CWD). MDC is continuing its efforts this fall and winter to limit the spread of CWD in Missouri deer by finding new cases and slowing its spread to more deer or more areas.
A news release says MDC has a CWD Management Zone of 29 counties in or near where CWD has been found, including Chariton in the immediate KMMO listening area.
Hunters who harvest deer in any of the 29 counties of the CWD Management Zone during this weekend are required to take their harvested deer (or the head with at least six inches of neck attached) on the day of harvest to one of MDC’s numerous CWD sampling stations throughout the zone. The sampling stations are open from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sampling and test results are free. Hunters who harvest deer in counties no longer part of the zone are not required to participate in sampling.
MDC is offering free voluntary CWD sampling and testing of deer harvested anywhere in Missouri throughout the entire deer hunting season at MDC regional offices during regular business hours and through participating taxidermists and meat processors within the CWD Management Zone.