NEWS

Hunters urged to submit blood samples from elk for brucellosis research

Submissions earn a chance to win hunting equipment

8/13/2018 10:17:19 AM

Cheyenne - Hunters who submit blood samples and other information about elk they harvest will be entered into a raffle to win high-quality outdoor equipment. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department established the brucellosis raffle as a thank you for participating in the monitoring program and to encourage hunters to continue to submit samples.

Leading outdoor manufacturers and conservation organizations have donated equipment to the raffle to support brucellosis monitoring. Raffle prizes include a 6.5 Creedmoor Mossberg Patriot bolt-action rifle donated by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Wyoming chapter; a Vortex Viper HS LR 6-24x50 FFP rifle scope and a Viper HD 15-45x65 spotting scope donated by Vortex Optics; Maven C1 binoculars (8x42 or 10x42) and a Maven T-shirt and hat donated by Maven and the Wyoming chapter of The Wildlife Society; and a Game and Fish sweatshirt and hat combo.

Brucellosis is a bacterial disease endemic in elk and bison throughout the area surrounding Yellowstone in Wyoming, Idaho and Montana. A state/federal eradication program has almost eliminated the disease in cattle, but infected elk and bison pose a continuing threat.

Voluntary hunter participation is fundamental for the program’s success, and Game and Fish appreciates hunter efforts to submit samples. Those who draw multiple elk licenses and receive multiple kits will be entered into the raffle for each kit returned. The raffle drawing will be held in March 2019.

Elk hunt areas targeted for surveillance in 2018 can be found on the interactive brucellosis map on the Game and Fish website. Not all hunters with a license in those areas will receive a testing kit via mail, but are encouraged to contact Game and Fish to obtain a kit and participate in the program and raffle. See how to take a blood sample with this video.