CWD tests a successful opening weekend | Recreation



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The Missouri Department of Conservation thanks the thousands of deer hunters who participated in its mandatory MDC sampling last weekend in 31 counties.

With the participation of hunters, MDC collected more than 20,000 samples of deer tissue harvested for MDC testing.

According to MDC, mandatory sampling dramatically increases the number of tissue samples that the Department of Conservation can collect during a brief period. Increasing the number of samples allows MDC scientists to better understand the distribution and prevalence of the disease – where it is found and how many deer can be affected. It can also help to find new cases in new areas.

MDC adds that the opening weekend of the deer season is the most popular of the two hunting days for most deer hunters. Hunters take about one third of the total annual harvest of deer in our state during these two days.

By focusing on this key weekend, MDC has the best opportunity to collect the largest number of tissue samples during a highly concentrated period.

MDC has also collected nearly 800 tissue samples for CWD testing in recent months, as part of its state-wide CWD voluntary collection activities and from the state. dead deer and road victims.

MDC sends the test samples to an independent laboratory for testing purposes and will report the results as soon as they are available. Stay up to date on the results of the tests received by MDC at the address mdc.mo.gov/cwd under the heading CWD in Missouri.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there has been no documented case of MDC in humans, but it is important to prevent human exposure to CWD.

As a safety measure, the CDC recommends hunters to strongly consider having their harvested deer tested before eating the meat, if the animal has been harvested in an area where the disease has been discovered.

The CDC also recommends that you do not eat animals that test positive. For more information, visit mdc.mo.gov/cwd under Risks to human health.

MDC CONTINUES TO OFFER A VOLUNTARY SAMPLING OF CWD WITHIN ALL THE STATE

Hunters who harvest deer anywhere in Missouri during the entire hunting season – September 15 to January 15, 2019 – may have their deer caught for free MDT testing in certain MDC offices. in the state and with participating taxidermists and meat processors. in the CWD management area. Sampling is voluntary.

The MDC requires hunters to dress in the field and walk with Telecheck deer before taking them for a harvest. Hunters can bring any deer dressed on the ground, or only the head with about six inches of neck in place. Heads whose cloak has been removed for taxidermy can be sampled.

You will find voluntary sampling sites and more information at the address mdc.mo.gov/cwd under Voluntary Sampling of MDC All Seasons.

Hunters can get free test results for their deer from compulsory and voluntary samplings online on CWD at the address mdc.mo.gov/CWDTestResults.

Due to the number of samples submitted, the results of the analysis may take up to four weeks from the date of submission.

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