MDC providing voluntary CWD testing sites in southwest Missouri

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - In its ongoing search to determine where Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) exists in the state and to provide opportunities for hunters to have their deer tested for the disease, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is offering voluntary deer head drop-off sites at select locations in MDC's CWD Management Zone.

CWD is a neurological disease fatal to deer. Each year, mandatory sample collection from deer harvested in select counties in the CWD Management Zone takes place during opening weekend of the November firearms deer season. This large-scale two-day sample collection effort will take place again this year on Nov. 16-17, but in addition to that, MDC also offers voluntary CWD sampling opportunities for hunters who harvest deer at other times during the deer season. These sample-collection sites opened with the start of Missouri's archery deer season on Sept. 15. In southwest Missouri, these voluntary drop-off sites fall into three categories.

MDC Offices: The MDC offices listed below as voluntary sampling locations typically can accommodate sampling during normal business hours. However, hunters are encouraged to call in advance to ensure staff are available for collecting samples.

• Barry County - MDC Cassville Office, 601 State Highway 248, 417-849-5949 (A self-serve freezer is also located at this office if staff aren't available to take samples. See information listed under the "Freezer drop-off location" section.)
• Greene County - MDC Southwest Regional Office, 2630 N. Mayfair Ave., Springfield, 417-895-6880
• Laclede County - MDC Lebanon Office, 2350 S. Jefferson Ave., 417-532-7612 (A self-serve freezer is also located at this office if staff aren't available to take samples. See information listed under the "Freezer drop-off location" section.)

Non-MDC Sampling Partners: Each year, MDC partners with taxidermists and meat processors to offer hunters additional locations to have their deer sampled for CWD. Availability and hours vary so hunters should call these locations in advance before taking their deer or deer head for sampling.

• Barry County - Scott's Taxidermy, 5270 Farm Road 2190, Exeter, 417-835-2052
• Barton County - Gary's Taxidermy, 631 SW 30th Road, Lamar, 417-214-1165
• Cedar County - Bear Creek Meats, 19827 E. 1450 Rd., Stockton, 417-808-0093
• Cedar County - Cedar Creek Wildlife Arts, 13295 South 825 Road, Stockton, 417-955-2012
• Cedar County - Cedar County Meat Market, 6879 E. Highway 32, Stockton, 417-848-3575
• Christian County - Mitchell's Taxidermy, 12751 State Highway 125, Chadwick, 417-634-2985
• Christian County - Oldfield Packing LLC, 192 Andrews Road, Sparta, 417-634-3943
• Greene County - Matthews Wildlife Art Taxidermy, 9880 North Cedar Valley Lane, Fair Grove, 417-838-3900.
• Greene County - Ozark Forest Taxidermy, 10929 N. Farm Road 177, Fair Grove, 417-343-6932
• McDonald County - Southwest City Processing, LLC, 115 W. Choctaw, Southwest City, 417-762-3515
• Newton County - Freedom Outdoors and Taxidermy, 19755 Crow Road, Seneca, 417-776-2546
• Stone County - Pete Dickenson Taxidermy, 20646 Old Highway 160, Reeds Spring, 417-527-0695
• Taney County - Real Trophies Taxidermy, 414 S. Fork, Branson, 417-544-0870
• Webster County - J and E Custom Processing, 844 Morningside Road, Seymour, 417-299-0032

Freezer drop-off locations: In addition to sampling opportunities at MDC offices and at cooperative taxidermists and meat processors, MDC also offers self-service freezers. These voluntary sites have a freezer that will preserve dropped-off deer heads until they are picked up by MDC staff for CWD testing. These self-serve sites enable hunters to submit deer heads at their convenience throughout the 2024-25 fall deer hunting season. Hunters will be responsible for packing their deer heads and filling out an information tag. Directions, packing supplies, and tags are available at these locations. People who have questions about these sites can call 573-815-7901, ext. 3901 or e-mail [email protected].

• Barry County - MDC Cassville Office, 601 State Highway 248, Cassville
• Barton County - Freedom Firearms, 1205 E. 12th Street, Lamar
• Cedar County - Cedar County Meat Market, 6879 State Highway 32, Stockton
• Christian County - MoDOT Ozark Office, 1810 Selmore Road, Ozark
• Dallas County - The Muffler Shop, 1123 S. Ash, Buffalo
• Greene - MDC Southwest Regional Office, 2630 N. Mayfair, Springfield
• Hickory County - Pomme de Terre State Park, 23451 Park Entrance Road, Pittsburg
• Jasper County - Race Brothers Farm and Home Supply, 2309 Fairlawn Drive, Carthage
• Laclede County - MDC Lebanon Office, 2350 S. Jefferson Ave., Lebanon
• Lawrence County - MDC Robert E. Talbot Conservation Area, 7031 Highway 96, LaRussell
• Newton County - MDC Neosho Office, 1510 S. Highway 71, Neosho
• Polk County - MDC Bolivar Office, 417 Killingsworth Ave., Bolivar
• Polk County - Humansville City Hall, 202 W. Buffalo St., Humansville
• St. Clair County - MDC Osceola Shop, 38357 N. Highway 13 (address approximate), Osceola
• Stone County - MoDOT Galena Office, 1880 St. Highway 248, Galena
• Taney County - MDC Branson Office Shop, 226 Claremont Drive, Branson
• Taney County - Drury-Mincy Conservation Area, 3339 Gunnison Rd., Kirbyville
• Webster County - Mountainside Outfitters, 12337 State Highway U, Fordland
• Webster County - MODOT Office, 333 Pin Oak Loop, Marshfield

An interactive map showing all voluntary CWD testing drop-off sites throughout the state can be found at https://short.mdc.mo.gov/ZCH.

Hunters should cut off the deer head (and antlers for any bucks) while leaving about six inches of neck attached before coming to the drop-off site. Hunters can use the data sheets, zip ties and trash bags available at the freezer sites to label and bag the heads.

Hunters will need to record their name and contact information, as well as their Telecheck ID number and the location where the deer was harvested. Hunters can leave the deer head in the freezer and MDC staff will collect the heads and pull samples that will be submitted for testing.

Hunters will be able to check the results online using their Telecheck ID within three weeks. MDC will notify hunters directly if their sample returns a positive result. The Centers for Disease Control does not recommend consuming meat from a deer that has tested positive for CWD.

These voluntary drop-off sites will not be available for use during the opening weekend of the November portion of the firearms deer season (Nov. 16-17) in counties where CWD mandatory sampling is required. On opening weekend of the November portion, hunters who harvest deer in select CWD Management Zone counties are required, by regulation, to take their harvested deer (or its head) to the MDC staffed mandatory sampling locations. Information about mandatory sampling locations and procedures can be found in the "2024 Fall Deer & Turkey" booklet that's available at all MDC offices and most locations that sell hunting and fishing permits or at:

https://mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species/deer/chronic-wasting-disease/mandatory-cwd-sampling

Since CWD was first detected in Missouri's wild deer in 2012, there have been 572 positive tests found in the state. More than 280,000 tissue samples have been collected from wild deer since MDC began CWD surveillance in 2002. From the outset, hunters have played an important role in helping MDC monitor and track the disease in the state by their assistance with sample collection.

More information about CWD in Missouri can be found at mdc.mo.gov/CWD.