MADISON, WI- As hunters take to the woods this fall, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is urging them to play a critical role in monitoring chronic wasting disease (CWD) by submitting their deer for testing.
CWD is a contagious neurological disease affecting deer and other cervids. It was first detected in southwestern Wisconsin and, according to the DNR, remains most common there. But in recent years, the disease has spread to new areas of the state, including central and northern counties. Shawano County is now among the DNR’s priority areas for testing this season.
“Our priority sampling areas for the 2025 fall season are more in the central and northern parts of the state,” said DNR Deer Herd Health Specialist Erin Larson. “Shawano County being one of them as well. We’re looking to get more samples to tell us what the disease density is in that area and where it’s being found.”
The DNR says increased testing provides valuable scientific data and also helps hunters make informed decisions about their venison. “Knowledge is power,” Larson explained. “Being able to know where the disease is occurring and at what level is going to give us information for future management. And it also lets hunters know the test result for their own personal needs, including whether they want to consume the venison.”
Testing is available statewide, with different options in every county. In Shawano County, hunters can access self-service kiosks in Shawano, Tigerton, Wittenberg, and Chi-Octon. “In every county we’ll have different options for folks to utilize for getting their deer sampled,” Larson said. “We’ll have self-service kiosks, and in a lot of counties we’ll also have locations where they can get assistance with getting that sample taken.”
Hunters who prefer can also remove the lymph nodes themselves and drop those off for testing. The DNR offers online guidance for those who want to use that method.
Some hunters have expressed hesitation about testing, fearing it could lead to aggressive management actions or even reduce hunting opportunities. Larson said those fears are understandable but misplaced. “There’s still going to be Wisconsin as a state that has a robust deer herd,” she said. “So there’s always going to be those opportunities to continue to hunt, and we want folks to be able to enjoy that as a pastime.”
She also noted that baiting and feeding bans in counties with positive detections are mandated by state law, not simply imposed by the DNR. “Legislatively we have to put in a baiting and feeding ban when a wild or captive positive is detected,” Larson explained. “But again, that’s a legislative regulation, not just something coming from the DNR.”
For hunters, testing ultimately comes down to responsibility and stewardship. Larson says submitting samples strengthens the state’s ability to manage CWD while allowing hunters to know more about their harvest.
An interactive map of all kiosks and sampling sites is available at dnr.wi.gov by searching “CWD sampling.”
Locally, kiosks are located in Tigerton at 780 North Beech Street and at Whitetail Crossing Convenance Store in Wittenberg. There are also kiosks at the Shawano DNR Field Station on Lakeland Road and at the Navarino Field Office on Lindsten Road in Shiocton.
In Waupaca county, a kiosk is located at Hartman Creek State Park and at Wolf River Town Hall.
In Oconto County, locations include Meatskis in Pound, Gillett Shell and Oconto Falls Ranger Station.
Locations where assistance is available includes Breaker Taxidermy in Tigerton and JR’s Sport Shop in Iola.
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