Colorado State University Extension
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Testing for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD)

Edited by: Mary Schroeder, M.S., R.D. & Pat Kendall, Ph.D., R.D., Colorado State - Fall 2002

This September, Colorado deer and elk hunters received a letter from the Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW) with information on how to have deer and elk tested for CWD. Hunters were informed that in most areas of the state, testing is voluntary and will cost $17 for each animal tested. Only in a portion of northeastern Colorado, where CWD has been established for decades, is it mandatory to test deer and elk for CWD. The testing is done at no charge to hunters in mandatory areas. The Colorado DOW states it is ready to collect and test as many at 50,000 hunter-harvested deer and elk statewide this fall.

The actual testing of the deer and elk samples is performed at Colorado State University's Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratories. CSU reports that testing accuracy rates run more than 90 percent and that no testing process can assure 100 percent accuracy for CWD diagnosis. Negative test results do not exclude the possibility of the disease being present in a deer or elk.

Hunters with animals that test positive for CWD will be immediately notified by phone and are eligible for a duplicate license, if possible, or for a license-fee refund, preference points refund and a refund for professional meat processing costs with a valid receipt. For those whose animals test negative, results can be accessed on the following Colorado Division of Wildlife website: http://wildlife.state.co.us/Hunting/BigGame/CWD/ or by calling (303) 297-1192.

For those hunters who wish to donate processed deer and elk meat, the Colorado DOW is recommending that the hunter submit the required samples for CWD testing, even if the animal was bagged outside the endemic area. A printout from the DOW website verifying the animal tested negative should be provided to the receiving food pantry along with the processed meat. Both CSU and the U.S. Department of Agriculture comment that while the tests are extremely accurate, the process does not constitute a meat certification program.

For additional information on how to submit deer and elk samples for testing refer to the Colorado DOW website: wildlife.state.co.us.

Sources:
1. Letter to Colorado Deer and Elk Hunters. State of Colorado, Division of Wildlife, September 2002.
2. Chronic Wasting Disease Testing for Deer and Elk, State of Colorado, Division of Wildlife. Both documents can be located on the Colorado Division of Wildlife website at: wildlife.state.co.us.

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