As elk hunting seasons get underway, hunters should make plans to get any elk they harvest tested for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) will be testing elk and deer at the following check station locations from Nov. 2-4 (note the Ukiah location is open Nov. 2-3 only):
- Celilo Park (exit 97 off I-84 west of Biggs Junction), Nov. 2-4, 2024, 9 a.m. to dusk. (Google map coordinates)
- Elgin Stampede Grounds, 790 S 8th Ave, Nov. 2-4, 2024, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Google map coordinates)
- Baker City, ODOT parking lot off Hwy 86, Nov. 2-4, 2024, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Google map coordinates)
- Prineville, Crook County Fairgrounds, 590 SE Lynn Blvd, Nov. 2-4, 2024, 9 a.m. to dusk. (Google map coordinates)
- Ukiah, North Fork John Day Ranger Station, 401 Main St, Nov. 2-3, 2024, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Google map coordinates)
Hunters who drive by one of the check stations while transporting a deer or elk are required to stop. ODFW biologists will take a small tissue sample from lymph nodes in the neck or a portion of the brainstem, a tooth for aging, and general information about where and when the animal was harvested.
Hunters who can’t get to a check station can also get their animal tested at a participating meat processor or taxidermist by dropping the head in a drop bin at an ODFW office or by calling a local ODFW office to make an appointment.
Hunters who get a deer or elk tested between Aug. 1, 2024 and April 1, 2025 are automatically entered to win either a Howa 1500 .223 with mounted Nikko Sterling Gamepro 4-12x40mm Scope combo or a Sig Sauer Whiskey3 4-12x40mm Quadplex scope. Oregon Hunters Association is providing these prizes to encourage hunters to get their animal tested.
While CWD has never been detected in Oregon’s deer or elk, it has been found in California, Idaho, and Washington. It’s possible the disease is already present in the state’s herds as deer and elk can be infected with CWD (and spreading it) for years before showing symptoms.
“Testing apparently healthy animals will help wildlife managers find this disease early, which is how we can slow or prevent the spread of CWD,” said Ashley Reeder, ODFW CWD coordinator. “Hunters are a critical part of this effort, and we ask every successful deer and elk hunter to make every effort to get their animal tested.”
Test results are posted online in a few weeks and ODFW will contact any hunter whose animal tests positive. Visit https://myodfw.com/CWD for more information.
