The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is encouraging deer hunters to join in the efforts to protect the state's deer herd, especially where Chronic Wasting Disease testing is most needed.
State wildlife officials say deer hunters play a crucial role in helping to control the spread of CWD by having their harvested animals tested.
There is a form in each hunter's Go Wild harvest history to assist them with getting their deer tested for CWD after registering their harvest. The form automatically fills in name, contact information, customer ID number and harvest registration number. This online form also makes it easier to find the location the deer was harvested through an interactive map that allows the hunter to tap on the harvest location rather than writing out the county, town, range and section on the paper form.
CWD is a contagious neurological disease of deer, elk, moose and reindeer caused by misshapen proteins that slowly degrade the central nervous system. The disease is always fatal and can have an incubation period of over a year, so infected deer can appear healthy for many months before showing clinical signs.
Categories: Wisconsin, Rural Lifestyle