The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) thanks the many thousands of deer hunters who participated in its mandatory CWD sampling efforts in 29 counties during the opening weekend of the fall firearms deer season November 16 and 17.
A news release says MDC collected more than 18,800 tissue samples from hunter-harvested deer for CWD testing.
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a deadly disease in white-tailed deer and other members of the deer family. MDC’s CWD sampling and testing efforts find cases of the deadly disease to help the Department limit its spread.
According to MDC, the opening weekend of the fall firearms deer season is the most popular two hunting days for most deer hunters, as they take about a third of the state’s total annual deer harvest during those two days.
Focusing on this key weekend gives MDC the best opportunity to collect the most tissue samples during a very concentrated time period.
MDC’s statewide, season-long, voluntary CWD sampling efforts continue through January 15, 2020.
Photo: MDC staff prepares some of the more than 18,800 tissues samples collected last weekend as part of the Department’s CWD sampling and testing efforts. MDC then sends the tissue samples to the University of Missouri Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory for CWD testing. (Photo courtesy the Missouri Department of Conservation)