MDC shares CWD sampling locations for deer hunters in the northwest region

St. Joseph, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reminds deer hunters that it is again offering free voluntary sampling and testing of harvested deer for chronic wasting disease (CWD) during the entire deer season at select locations in the northwest region, including some MDC offices and participating taxidermists and meat processors.

MDC is also offering self-service freezer drop-off locations for hunters to deposit harvested deer heads to have tested for CWD. Instructions, packing supplies, and information tags are available at the sites.

The voluntary sampling and freezer locations are part of MDC’s efforts to find cases of CWD early and help slow its spread. CWD is a deadly, infectious disease in deer and other members of the deer family (cervids) that eventually kills all animals it infects. There is no vaccine or cure. CWD is in Missouri and MDC continues its efforts to limit the spread of CWD by finding new cases as early as possible and managing the disease to slow its spread to more deer in more areas.

Freezer Drop-Off Locations for Northwest Region

• Polo Realty, 101 E. Elm St., Polo in Caldwell County.
• Tina Quick Shop, 15534 U.S. 65 highway, Tina in Carroll County.
• New Boston Fire Department, 15833 Hwy 129, New Boston in Linn County.
• PB-5 Store, 110 S. Main St., Linneus in Linn County.
• MDC Chillicothe Office, 15368 LIV 2386, Chillicothe in Livingston County.
• MDC Lake Paho Conservation Area, 15643 Fathom St., near Princeton in Mercer County.
• D-Tone General Store, 1006 W. South St., Plattsburg in Clinton County.
• Landes Oil Amoco Stations, 1841 E. 28th, Trenton in Grundy County.
• Note: Freezers will be locked during the opening weekend of the firearms deer season Nov. 12-13. Hunters are asked to visit MDC’s mandatory sampling stations on those days.

Voluntary Sampling Locations for Northwest Region 

• MDC Chillicothe Office, 15368 LIV 2386 (just off U.S. 36), east of Chillicothe in Livingston County, 660-646-6122.
• Father’s Pride Processing, 4893 N. Hwy 13, Hamilton in Caldwell County. 816-824-6894.
• Sunrise Meats LLC, 29399 Karma Ave., Princeton in Mercer County, 660-748-3390.
• Top Pin Taxidermy, 1009 E. Park St., Princeton in Mercer County, 660-953-1023.
• Muddy Creek Taxidermy, 23713 Bison St., Mercer in Mercer County, 660-953-0191.
• Shot & Caught Taxidermy, 38380 Hwy HH, Salisbury in Chariton County, 660-414-6742.
• McKenzie Deer Processing, 23562 Price Bridge Avenue, Keytesville in Chariton County.
• Mike’s Taxidermy, 808 E. Hauser St., Marceline in Linn County, 660-591-5072.
• Green Hills Fresh Meats, 26700 Missouri Hwy 11, St. Catherine in Linn County, 660-375-1609.
• Prewitt Deer Processing, 7138 LIV 504, Trenton in Livingston County, 660-635-0617.
• Country Critters Taxidermy, 22723 Myers Road, Lawson in Ray County. 816-820-9242.
• Memories of the Hunt Taxidermy, 204 S. Titus Avenue, Excelsior Springs in Clay County, 816-204-8760.
• Note: Hunters should call ahead to make sure someone is available at the offices to take a sample.

Mandatory Sampling 

MDC reminds hunters who harvest deer from 39 of the 52 counties in its CWD Management Zone counties during Nov. 11-12 that they must take their deer — or just the head — on the day of harvest to one of MDC’s many CWD mandatory sampling stations throughout the counties. Mandatory sampling stations will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The counties for mandatory sampling are: Adair, Barry, Barton, Bollinger, Caldwell, Carroll, Clay, Clinton, Cedar, Chariton, Clark, Crawford, Dallas, Franklin, Grundy, Hickory, Jasper, Jefferson, Linn, Livingston, Macon, Madison, Montgomery, Oregon, Perry, Polk, Pulaski, Putnam, Ray, Ripley, Schuyler, St. Clair, St. Francois, Ste. Genevieve, Stone, Sullivan, Taney, Vernon, and Washington.

Hunters can get CWD test results for their deer from voluntary and mandatory sampling for free online at mdc.mo.gov/cwdResults. Results are usually available within four weeks or less from the time of sampling.

Get more information on CWD, voluntary sampling, freezer drop-off locations, mandatory sampling, and more online at mdc.mo.gov/cwd and from MDC’s 2022 Fall Deer & Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet, available where hunting permits are sold.