DNR expands sampling and dumpster programs for CWD

Two programs to help stop the spread of chronic wasting disease will be expanding this fall in Wisconsin.

In 2019, the DNR is looking for organizations and businesses to partner with in its Adopt-a-Dumpster and Adopt-a-Kiosk program.

"It grew quite a bit last year just in response to hunter interest in what we call hunter service testing, whether it's a targeted area or not," DNR wildlife biologist Jeff Pritzl says.

Pritzl says with a wild deer in Marquette County testing positive for CWD last fall, the diseases is inching closer to Northeast Wisconsin -- and the interest from hunters in testing their venison is growing.

"By having a self-service kiosk where the hunter can bring their animal, remove the head and leave the head behind in a freezer and fill out all the data and then we get back to them after, just makes it that much more convenient."

Along with expanded testing for CWD, the DNR wants to expand effort to prevent the spread, by offering hunters more dumpster locations to dispose of deer carcasses.

"Based on the success that we saw last year, there's a strong interest in expanding that in other parts of the state this year."

"How CWD moves on the landscape sometimes is human caused, inadvertently, and we know one of those sources can be a deer harvested in a positive part of the state and brought back to Northeast Wisconsin, home processed and then the carcass disposed of and maybe back on the landscape."

According to the DNR, about 150,000 pounds of deer carcass waste was collected in dumpsters last fall and sent to landfills.

"And so it's important to be vigilant about that, in 2020 Northeast Wisconsin will be canvassed with a thorough CWD sampling, so it won't hurt in 2019 to kind of get people warmed up."

for details on CWD sampling kiosks

for details on the DNR Adopt-a-Dumpster program and carcass disposal