Hunters can win prizes by submitting a CWD sample

According to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, hunters are critical to monitoring chronic wasting disease in Wyoming, a fatal disease that affects moose, elk and deer. The department is once again asking hunters to provide lymph node samples from their harvested deer and elk this fall to test for CWD. In return for samples, hunters may be eligible to win hunting gear.

“Elk and deer hunters are on the front-line helping Game and Fish to understand the distribution and prevalence of CWD by collecting and submitting samples for testing,” Eric Maichak, Cody Region disease biologist, said. “This raffle is one way we can show our appreciation for their efforts.”

Hunters are eligible to win prizes from two tiers when they submit a usable lymph node sample — that means the correct tissue and is in good condition to be tested. When hunters submit samples from adult male mule or white-tailed deer or any adult elk at least 2 years old from targeted CWD monitoring hunt areas, they have a chance to win Tier I prizes. Those targeted hunt areas are:

Deer: 1-6, 59, 60, 64, 65, 66, 124, 130, 131, 134, 135, 138-146, 150-156, 157, 165 and 171.

NOTE: Deer Hunt Areas 59, 60, 64, 65, 157, 171 require mandatory lymph node submissions for testing. Areas 157 and 171 are mandatory for mule deer AND white-tailed deer samples.

Elk: 7, 19, 33, 34, 41, 45, 47-49, 67-71, 75, 77-85, 88-91, 93, 95, 96, 102-105, 120 and 127. 

Hunters can win Tier II prizes when they submit samples from all other deer, elk or moose for all other areas (non-targeted CWD monitoring areas) of the state, regardless of the hunt area.

Tier I prizes:

 1st Place:  Browning Western Hunter Long Range Rifle (.300 PRC) with Recoil Hawg muzzle brake AND Leupold VX-5HD 3-15×44 riflescope (Donated by Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation)

  2nd Place: Weatherby Vanguard High Country Rifle (.308) AND Maven RS.1 2.5-15×44 riflescope (Donated by Wyoming Wild Sheep Foundation, Muley Fanatics, Weatherby and Maven)

  3rd Place: Maven S.1S 25-50×80 spotting scope (Donated by Wyoming Wild Sheep Foundation, Muley Fanatics and Maven)

Tier II prizes:

    1st Place: Weatherby Vanguard Weatherguard rifle (.25-06) (Donated by Wyoming Wild Sheep Foundation, Muley Fanatics and Weatherby)

    2nd Place: Maven B.1 10×42 binoculars (Donated by Wyoming Wild Sheep Foundation, Muley Fanatics and Maven)

    3rd Place: Stone Glacier Approach 2800 backpack, with XCurve Frame, medium hip belt (Donated by Muley Fanatics)

“We’re grateful to our sponsors whose generosity helps Wyoming’s disease monitoring efforts on CWD,”  Maichak said. “Thank you for supporting this work.”

Winners will be drawn randomly in spring 2023. Winning entries in Tier I will be excluded from entry into drawing for Tier II prizes.

Hunters can learn how to take a sample by watching a how-to video on the Game and Fish website and submit it alongside the CWD data sheet. Hunters also can have animals sampled at any game check station this season or by stopping at the Game and Fish Headquarters or regional offices from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. 

Results from CWD testing are available online within three weeks. The only way for hunters to get results of their deer or elk’s CWD test will be to check online through the Game and Fish website. Hunters can expedite results within 10 working days for a $30 fee. Call the Wyoming State Veterinary Lab in Laramie at (307) 766-9925 for more information.

Continued monitoring of CWD is important to help Game and Fish understand the impacts of the disease on deer and elk. Samples also give the department information to inform future management actions —  such as license types offered, license quotas, seasons and future disease monitoring protocols. CWD has been detected in most deer hunt areas throughout the state.

Hunters also need to be aware of Wyoming carcass transport and disposal rules to prevent the spread of CWD within Wyoming and other states.

More information and resources for hunters on CWD is available on the Game and Fish CWD webpage.