The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) made a change to the mandatory sampling requirements for chronic wasting disease (CWD). The department’s change to voluntary sampling in 30 counties during the opening weekend of this year’s November firearms portion of deer season was prompted by ongoing cases and public-health concerns in Missouri regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.
This change impacts hunters who harvest deer during the opening weekend of the November portion of the firearms deer season (Nov. 14 and 15) in any of the 30 MDC CWD Management Zone. Those counties include: Adair, Barry, Cedar, Chariton, Christian, Clark, Crawford, Franklin, Gasconade, Hickory, Howell, Jefferson, Knox, Linn, Macon, Mercer, Oregon, Ozark, Perry, Polk, Putnam, St. Charles, St. Clair, St. Francois, Ste. Genevieve, Stone, Sullivan, Taney, Warren, and Washington.
While CWD sampling is no longer required Nov. 14 and 15 for the 30 counties in its CWD Management Zone, MDC’s 71 CWD sampling stations located throughout the zone will remain open. MDC encourages hunters to have their deer sampled for CWD on the day of harvest.
