Play Your Part: Utah Deer Hunters Urged To Test For Chronic Wasting Disease

Utah hunters participating in the annual rifle deer hunt are being encouraged to bring their harvested deer to testing stations across the state. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) is conducting these tests to check for chronic wasting disease (CWD), a serious condition affecting deer, elk, and moose.

CWD is a rare but transmissible disease that targets the nervous systems of these animals, caused by a misfolded protein called a prion. First discovered in Utah in 2002, CWD results in brain lesions, weight loss, listlessness, and eventual death. Infected animals can transmit the disease through bodily fluids like urine, saliva, and feces, and even environmental contamination from carcasses. Once prions are in the environment, they can remain infectious for years.

Although the risk of humans contracting CWD from consuming infected meat is considered extremely low, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) advises against eating meat from animals that test positive for the disease. Since its discovery in Utah, 262 mule deer and six elk have tested positive for CWD, with the disease being most commonly found in hunting units such as East Canyon, Vernal/Bonanza, and the Book Cliffs, among others.

To monitor and manage the spread of CWD, the DWR sets up checkpoints across the state, rotating locations on a five-year basis to test statewide deer populations. Hunters who bring deer from this year’s targeted hunting units to these stations will receive free CWD testing. The DWR also has staff in backcountry areas, visiting hunting camps to collect samples.

To participate in the testing, hunters should leave about six inches of the deer’s neck and windpipe attached below the jaw, allowing DWR employees to collect lymph nodes for testing. The process is quick and involves a few questions about the location of the harvest. For hunters outside the targeted testing areas, the Utah Veterinary Diagnostic Lab offers CWD tests for $30.

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The DWR emphasizes the importance of monitoring CWD to maintain healthy deer populations, encouraging hunters to take part in the testing. Data collected from these tests helps wildlife biologists better understand the prevalence of CWD in Utah. The DWR is offering free tests at designated locations, including its Cedar City office and specific roadside stations. Hunters can also arrange appointments with regional biologists for sample collection.