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    Game and Fish seeks to increase CWD samples from deer harvested in hunt areas south and east of Worland

    Game and Fish mule deer managers in the Cody region are asking deer hunters that hunt in the Southwest Bighorn mule deer herd (Hunt Areas 35, 36, 37, 39, 40 and 164) to get their deer sampled for chronic wasting disease this year.

    Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a fatal disease affecting deer, elk, and moose. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is concerned about CWD and how it may affect the future of Wyoming’s deer.

    “This request of deer hunters is part of a greater statewide CWD surveillance effort to collect adequate sample sizes for priority herds across the state, the Southwest Bighorn herd, located in areas south and east of Worland being one of these priority sampling herds for the 2018 hunting season,” said Corey Class wildlife coordinator with Game and Fish in Cody. “Hunters are encouraged to sample their own deer if they know how, or bring their deer through one of Game and Fish’s hunter check stations to be sampled.”

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    Game and Fish can test deer for CWD by removing the retrophargeal lymph nodes from hunter harvested deer and elk in order to determine the prevalence and distribution of the disease across the state. An instructional video is available from Game and Fish for those who wish to learn how to collect samples on their own. Hunters that collect their own samples are asked to keep the lymph nodes cool and submit them to Game and Fish as soon as possible.

    Those who wish to participate in the CWD surveillance effort and would like their deer sampled by Game and Fish are asked to leave a few inches of neck below the jaw line to ensure a sample can be collected. In addition to deer hunters who harvest in the Southwest Bighorn deer herd, any hunters who wish to have their deer or elk tested are encouraged to visit a check station or bring their animal by the Cody regional office to be sampled. In addition, all Game and Fish field personnel working in the area will be able to collect a CWD sample.

    Check station locations and dates where samples can be collected from harvested deer are as follows (hours of operation typically 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.)

    Ten Sleep October 15, 16, 17 and 21
    Hyattville October 15, 16, 17 and 21
    Shell October 15, 16 and 17
    Manderson October 21
    Lovell October 15 and 16
    Cody November 1-10
    Cody Regional Office, 2820 Hwy 120, Cody Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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