Cooler weather and hunting season can mean fun for all ages. This weekend wrapped up the early youth portion of deer season. Several local young hunters ages 6 to 15 participated in the age-old tradition. They did not fail to impress, as preliminary data from the Missouri of Conservation shows 11,219 deer were harvested statewide, with 141 coming from Webster County.
“It is a great time for the young hunters to be outdoors and get some experience,” said Francis Skalicky, Media Specialist from the Southwest Regional Office of the Missouri Department of Conservation. “The Department set up the early youth portion so that any young hunters can get a chance to hunt before the other hunters. A reminder to all parents, guardians, or anyone that when you go out there with these kids, this is a great learning opportunity to pass down any knowledge or hunting experience you have gained to continue the passion of this honored tradition.”
As deer season continues, MDC wants to remind all hunters that it will again hold mandatory Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) sampling during the opening weekend of the firearms season set for Nov. 11 and 12.
CWD is a deadly, infectious disease found in deer and other members of the deer family that eventually kills all animals it infects. Currently, there is no cure or vaccine to combat the disease, which can be spread differently. Most common are deer-to-deer direct contact, improper disposal of deer carcasses, and the environment by deer contacting infectious material from other deer. Hunters play an essential role in helping the Conservation Department find and manage the disease by having their deer tested and following carcass movement and CWD regulations.
Hunters who harvest deer in the 39 CWD Management Zone counties must take their harvested deer or the head on the day of harvest to one of Conservation’s mandatory CWD sampling stations located throughout the Management Zone. The cost for testing and sampling is free.
MDC designates these counties based on where CWD was discovered and counties within a 10-mile radius of where it was found. The counties included in the mandatory CWD sampling zone are Adair, Barry, Barton, Bollinger, Caldwell, Carroll, Cedar, Chariton, Clay, Clinton, Crawford, Dallas, Franklin, Gasconade, 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.
“Mandatory CWD sampling significantly increases the number of tissue samples we can collect in a relatively short period of time,” said MDC Cervid Program Supervisor Jason Isabelle. “The large number of samples collected during mandatory CWD sampling gives us a solid understanding of the distribution and prevalence of the disease — where it is and how many deer may have it. It can also help us find new cases in new areas so disease management can begin as soon as possible to slow the spread of CWD and protect Missouri’s deer population.”
The November opening weekend of firearms deer season is the most popular two hunting days for most deer hunters in Missouri, according to MDC. Hunters take about a third of the state’s annual deer harvest during those two days.
“Focusing on this key weekend gives us the best opportunity to collect the most tissue samples during a very concentrated time period,” said Isabelle.
Hunters participating on Nov. 11 and 12 in counties where the mandatory CWD sampling occurs can present their deer at a required CWD sampling station within that county or a station in a different county so long as they follow the carcass movement restrictions. Deer that will be delivered to a licensed meat processor within 48 hours or deer heads delivered to a licensed taxidermist within 48 hours may be transported to a sampling station in any county. For deer that will not be taken to a licensed taxidermist, hunters may also take the head to a mandatory CWD sampling station in another county if the head is left after sampling.
For a complete map of the mandatory CWD sampling station locations, visit Conservation’s website at mdc.mo.gov/cwd or the MDC’s 2023 Fall Deer & Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet, available where permits are sold.
CWD sampling takes only a few minutes, and Tissue samples are sent to an independent lab for testing. Hunters will be given a card with information on getting free test results for their deer after samples are processed or can visit online at mdc.mo.gov/cwdResults. Test results may take up to four weeks, and most are available within two weeks. Testing is also available throughout the season.
Before arriving at a mandatory CWD sampling station, hunters are reminded to do the following:
Field dress and Telecheck deer.
Bring the carcass or just the head.
Capes may be removed in preparation for taxidermy before arriving at a station.
Position the deer in vehicles where the head and neck are easily accessible.
Ensure the person who harvested the deer is present.
Be prepared to find the location of the harvest on a map.
If using a paper permit, have it detached from the deer for easy access, or use the MO Hunting app to have permit information available.
For Hunters traveling with a deer to a CWD Management Counties must follow the carcass-movement restrictions:
Deer must be Telechecked before any parts of the carcass may be transported out of the county of harvest.
Whole carcasses may only be transported out of the county of harvest if delivered to a licensed meat processor within 48 hours of exiting the county where the harvest occurred.
Deer heads containing muscle and brain tissue may only be transported out of the county of harvest if delivered to a licensed taxidermist or an approved CWD sampling station within 48 hours of exiting the county of harvest. But during the CWD Mandatory Sampling, the deer, or the head, must be taken on the day of harvest to a required CWD sampling station.
The following parts may be moved outside of the county of harvest without restriction:
Meat that is cut and wrapped or that has been boned out.
Quarters or other portions of meat with no part of the spine or head attached.
Hides from which all excess tissue has been removed.
Antlers or antlers attached to skull plates or skulls cleaned of all muscle and brain tissue.
Any Finished taxidermy products.
One of the best things about hunting deer is the venison. Some hunters will end up with more than they need and leave the rest in the chest freezer. Instead of letting that excess venison turn to ice, MDC encourages deer hunters to share their harvests by donating the surplus venison to the Share the Harvest program to help feed hungry Missourians. The donated meat goes to local food banks and food pantries to help feed hungry Missourians throughout the state. To get Share the Harvest venison, contact local food banks or food pantries.
Deer harvested from CWD Management Zone counties may only be donated to Share the Harvest if tested for CWD. Donations must go to a meat processor participating in the Share the Harvest CWD Testing Program. Deer harvested outside the CWD Management Zone does not need to be tested for donation to Share the Harvest and may be taken to any Share the Harvest processor. For more details, visit mdc.mo.gov/share.
2023 deer season dates:
Turkey season is running concurrently with deer season, with the bowhunting portion continuing until Nov. 10. Hunters do not have to wait long to redraw their bows as the season opens back up on Nov. 22 to Jan. 15, 2024.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here