In its ongoing search to determine where Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) exists in the state and to provide opportunities for hunters to have their deer tested for the disease, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is offering voluntary deer head drop-off sites at select sites around the state.
CWD is a neurological disease fatal to deer. Each year, mandatory sample collection from deer harvested in select counties that comprise Missouri’s CWD Management Zone takes place during opening weekend of the November firearms deer season.
This large-scale, two-day sample collection effort will take place again this year on Nov. 11-12, but in addition to that, MDC also offers voluntary CWD sampling opportunities for hunters who harvest deer at any time during the deer season.
In addition to sampling opportunities at MDC offices and at cooperative taxidermists and meat processors, MDC also offers self-service freezers.
These voluntary sites have a freezer that will preserve dropped-off deer heads until they are picked up by MDC staff for CWD testing.
