PESHTIGO, Wis. – In cooperation with local businesses, various chronic wasting disease sampling locations are available to hunters in Oconto and Shawano counties as part of continued surveillance due to a CWD positive farm-raised deer facility.
Hunters who harvest a deer in Oconto and Shawano counties are strongly encouraged to submit a sample for CWD testing. CWD testing does not carry an additional cost to the hunter, and anyone submitting a sample should receive test results typically 10-14 days after the deer is brought to a sampling station.
“We are grateful for hunters making that extra effort to have their deer sampled for CWD, and to support them, we continue to make access to sampling simpler, faster and easier each year,” said Tami Ryan, acting Wildlife Management bureau director. “Each deer sample is important because it contributes to an accurate understanding of the health of Wisconsin’s deer herd.”
The health of the deer herd relies on commitment from hunters. Managing CWD begins with knowing where the disease exists on the landscape, and having this knowledge is only possible with a robust sample size. Please make plans to visit one of the following sampling stations to have your deer submitted for testing.
CWD Sampling Locations
Hunters have several options available to have their deer sampled for CWD, and all locations can be found on the DNR website. In addition to a network of 24/7 self-service sampling stations (also called kiosks) around the state, many meat processors and businesses offer in-person sampling assistance. Some sampling locations also have DNR Wildlife Management staff available to take samples and answer hunters’ questions.
Hunters should contact staffed sampling stations in advance to verify hours of operation. For an interactive map with sampling locations available in your area, visit DNR website and search for CWD sampling. There is also a searchable database available as an alternative to the map view.
A sample consists of the deer head with 3-5 inches of neck attached. Hunters will also need to have their harvest authorization number, harvest location and contact information when submitting a sample. To make special arrangements for large bucks, please call a local DNR wildlife biologist.
Hunters who harvest an adult deer within the surveillance area, are asked to consider submitting the deer for CWD testing. DNR staff have set up several cooperating stations and self-service CWD sampling kiosks in the following locations:
- Cecil, Lake View Convenience BP, 417 S. Warrington St., Cecil, WI 54111;
- Gillett Shell, 6255 State Hwy 32N, Gillett, WI 54124;
- Rhode’s Junction Shell, 12470 WI Hwy 32, Mountain, WI 54174
- Mountain Shell, 12470 WI Hwy 32, Mountain, WI 54174
- Oconto Falls Ranger Station, 300 Hank Marks Drive, Oconto Falls, WI 54154;
- Shawano DNR Office, 647 Lakeland Ave., Shawano, WI 54166; and
- Any DNR office by request;
DNR staff may add additional locations. Visit the DNR website to search for current sampling locations. Directions and supplies are provided at each location.
Deer Carcass Waste Disposal
Hunters are encouraged to dispose of deer carcass waste in a licensed landfill that accepts this waste or in a dumpster designated for deer carcass waste. If a municipality allows deer disposal curbside or at a transfer station, the carcass should be double bagged. If these options are not available and the deer was harvested on private land, burying the deer carcass waste or returning it to the location of the harvest are the next best options.
Thanks to the Oconto Sportsman’s Club Alliance and Lee Lake Disposal, 6 deer carcass waste disposal dumpsters will be available to hunters in Oconto County during the 9-day gun season. A total of 9 deer carcass dumpsters will be available at the following locations during the 9-day gun season:
- Peshtigo Service Center, 101 N. Ogden Rd., Peshtigo, WI 54157;
- Oconto Falls Ranger Station, 300 Hank Marks Drive, Oconto Falls, WI 54154;
- Rhode’s Junction Shell Station, 12470 State Hwy 32, Mountain, WI 54174;
- Village Hall, Suring, 604 Main Street, Suring, WI 54174;
- Gillett Town Hall, 10908 Gillett Town Hall Rd., Gillett, WI 54124;
- Morgan Recycling Center, 3276 County Rd. C, Oconto Falls, WI 54154;
- Bagely Town Hall, 9812 County Hwy Z, Pound, WI 54174
- G3 Up North Convenience, N4111 County Hwy S, Pound, WI 54161
- Navarino DNR Field Office, W5682 Lindsten Rd., Shiocton, WI 54170
Hunters can find a map with the CWD sampling locations and deer carcass disposal locations on the DNR website as well as in the Hunt Wild app.
CWD Surveillance Authorizations
Landowners with property within two miles of the surveillance area in Oconto and Shawano counties may be eligible for private land CWD surveillance authorizations. Landowners interested in surveillance authorizations should contact local wildlife staff.
CWD surveillance authorizations are valid through the end of regular archery season on Jan. 5. Authorizations are location-specific and are not transferrable between properties. Authorized individuals must adhere to season specific rules and use the weapon that corresponds to the season(s) currently open at the time of harvest.
Baiting and Feeding
White-tailed deer baiting and feeding are currently prohibited in Oconto and Shawano counties. Check the DNR’s baiting and feeding webpage frequently for updates, as new baiting and feeding bans may be enacted in 2019 with new CWD detections. No counties in the state will be removed from the ban during the 2019 deer hunting season.
Prevent the spread of CWD
Voluntarily following recommended practices can reduce and prevent the spread of CWD. Those include proper carcass transportation, handling and disposal; also reporting sick deer, following baiting and feeding regulations and cleaning and decontaminating equipment. Hunters should also follow urine-based scent recommendations.
Sick deer reports
DNR staff are interested in reports of sick deer. To report a sick deer, contact local wildlife staff or call the DNR’s Customer Service hotline at 1-888-936-7463.
Test results
To view CWD results for a harvested deer, visit dnr.wi.gov, search keywords “CWD results.” Hunters will need to enter a customer ID or CWD sample barcode number to view test results. The average turnaround time from when the deer is brought to a sampling station to when the results are available is typically 10-14 days.
If test results come back positive for CWD, advice from the Centers for Disease Control [EXIT DNR], Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services and the World Health Organization [EXIT DNR] is for hunters not to consume venison from that deer.
