Laramie – The Wyoming Game and Fish Department will be monitoring Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) prevalence in mule deer hunt area 70 and elk hunt areas 8–12, 110, and 125 (Snowy Range areas) this year. CWD is a chronic, fatal disease of the central nervous system in deer, elk and moose, and monitoring disease prevalence in wildlife populations is critical to understanding population dynamics. These hunt areas in the Laramie Region are just a handful of the total units being monitored statewide for CWD in deer and elk this year. 

Mule deer hunt area 70 (Shirley Mountains) has been identified for mandatory sampling this year. This means that all successful deer hunters who harvest in hunt area 70 are required to submit a sample for CWD testing. If a hunter does not wish to receive their CWD test result, they can opt out when they submit their sample.

Elk hunt areas in the Snowy Range (areas 8–12, 110, and 125) have been identified for monitoring this year. Hunters who harvest elk in these areas are encouraged, but not required, to submit samples from their harvested elk for CWD testing.

Acceptable samples for CWD testing include removed lymph nodes or the animal’s head with at least 4 inches of neck attached. For directions on how to identify and remove lymph nodes, please watch the Lymph Node Removal training video, available on the Game and Fish website.

Game and Fish personnel will be available at field check stations and Game and Fish regional offices to assist hunters with sample removal and submission. There will also be deer/elk head drop boxes stationed around these hunt areas this fall. These drop boxes will have a short form to fill out and leave with the animal’s head, allowing Game and Fish to collect information about where the animal was harvested. A list of drop box locations can be found below.

If desired, hunters who submit CWD samples from harvested animals will be able to access laboratory test results within three weeks through the Game and Fish website. Test results from samples submitted to the Game and Fish Wildlife Health Lab are provided at no cost. Expedited CWD testing is also available through the Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory for a $40 fee. Hunters who do not wish to receive test results can notify the Game and Fish staff receiving the sample, or write a comment on the submitted paperwork.

If CWD is detected in a harvested animal, the hunter may discard the meat at an approved disposal location without violating wanton waste laws. If detected, the CWD report from the Game and Fish Wildlife Health Lab serves as permission to dispose of edible portions. To date, there have been no cases of CWD in humans and no direct proof that humans can get CWD, however the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization recommend not consuming meat from animals with CWD.

Please remember to discard all big game carcasses in accordance with regulations. Improper disposal can introduce diseases to new areas. A map of approved disposal locations is available, and several new big game carcass dumpsters were added in the Laramie Region this year. New dumpster locations in Glenrock and Riverside were made possible by sponsorship from DSC of Wyoming. Other new locations this year include Saratoga and Wheatland.

If you have any questions about CWD monitoring in the Snowy Range or Shirley Mountains, please contact one of the following:

Head Drop Box Locations – unstaffed, available 24 hrs unless otherwise noted.

Staffed Field Check Station Locations - available 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.