DWR advises hunters check deer meat for chronic wasting disease

SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is asking hunters to bring harvested deer to inspection stations. Biologists will test the meat for chronic wasting disease.

Multiple monitoring checkpoints are located around the state. Each year, they move to different hunting areas. The DWR provided a map showing the hunting areas that will be tested this year. 

Additionally, the DWR website displays the dates and times each of this year’s testing checkpoints will be open.  

“Recent surveys have shown that 78% of hunters have never had their deer tested for chronic wasting disease,” said Ginger Stout, the DWR’s wildlife veterinarian.  “We are strongly encouraging hunters to stop at our check stations if they have harvested a deer within the sampling hunting units this year. “

When hunters arrive at the check station, they will be provided with a free test for the disease. To successfully test the animals, hunters need to leave six inches of the animal’s neck attached to the jaw. During the test, lymph nodes will be taken from the animal.

DWR employees will also ask hunters a few questions. Testing is only expected to take a few minutes for each animal. 

“The data collected through this is crucial in helping us stay on top of CWD monitoring in Utah in order to maintain healthy deer populations into the future,” said Stout. 

Hunters who harvest an animal outside of this year’s testing areas can also have meat tested. In those cases, they must provide the animal’s head to the Utah Veterinary Diagnostic Lab. Those tests will cost $30. 

It should be noted that the DWR said deer and elk must be one year or older to be tested. 

Chronic wasting disease in Utah

According to the DWR, 262 mule deer and 6 elk have tested positive for the rare disease since it was first detected in Utah back in 2002. 

Deer and elk from the following areas have tested positive: 

• East Canyon
• Yellowstone
• Vernal/Bonanza
• Diamond Mtn 
• Book Cliffs
• Nine Mile
• La Sal
• San Juan
• Nebo
• Manti
• Wasatch Mtns, West
• Oquirrh Stansbury 

Disease’s impact 

Animals that have contracted the disease develop brain lesions, appear listless and unusually thin, and possess droopy ears. The disease is deadly to the animals. 

The DWR said that a misfolded protein, or prion, causes the disease. Prions collect within the animal’s spine and brain. 

Proteins of the same type cause other diseases in other animals. For example, it causes scrapie in sheep and mad cow disease in cattle. These types of diseases are referred to as prion diseases. 

The Centers for Disease Control said that scientists believe the disease spreads between animals through bodily fluids. Additionally, they think it could spread through the environment; such as in drinking water, soil, or food. 

Per the CDC, there have been no known transmissions of chronic wasting disease to humans. However, it is considered a “theoretical risk” since other prion diseases have been reported in humans. 

Consuming meat from an infected animal is not recommended. 

Additionally, the CDC said you should not make contact with animals that look sick or that are roadkill. 

When handling hunted meat, remember to wear gloves, avoid handling organs like the brain and spine, and avoid using knives or tools that you also utilize in your kitchen. 

Finally, the CDC recommended adhering to testing recommendations, such as that made by the DWR. 

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