Turning in a lymph node from your harvested deer, elk or moose can make a big difference for chronic wasting disease (CWD) management in Wyoming. This fall, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department is relying heavily on hunters to submit lymph node samples to better understand CWD and its impacts on herd heath.  

Game and Fish, along with stakeholders, recently developed a new CWD management plan. The plan outlines disease management options that are geared towards slowing the spread of as well as decreasing prevalence of CWD in infected herds. Game and Fish will evaluate which herds are best suited for CWD management actions. Together, the public and the Department  will determine the most effective methods for herds before any management action is implemented. 

This is where hunters come into play — to accurately assess  the success of those management actions, Game and Fish needs to test at least 200 lymph node samples from the each targeted monitoring area for deer and elk this year for baseline data. Once management actions have been implemented for three to five years, the Department will again rely on hunters to submit samples to monitor progress of the disease management.

Because CWD moves slowly, it may take between five to ten years before management actions can be fully evaluated. Thank you for your patience and support as Wyoming  works to control this disease for the long-term health of our deer, elk and moose populations for future generations to enjoy. For the 2020 hunting season, please visit our CWD website to see the targeted hunt areas for samples and additional CWD information.