The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is asking deer hunters in the control areas of Franklin, Madison, and Tensas parishes to submit samples to test for Chronic Wasting Disease or CWD. Deer Program Manager with the LDWF Jonathan Bordelon said there is a list of locations on their website and at each location signage and instructions on how to submit a sample.
“They’ll simply complete a data card, tear off the hunter portion and keep that for their records. That will allow them to visit our website and check their results at a later time,” said Bordelon.
CWD is fatal to deer and the department is hoping to track the disease by having hunters submit samples. Bordelon said there’s been no association of the disease with humans, but out of an abundance of caution the CDC recommends not to consume deer that are positive for CWD.
“In addition to that hunters hunting in an area where CWD has been it’s actually recommended that they should have their deer tested and that ties back into the drop-off locations that were added in those parishes,” said Bordelon.
Bordelon said an infected deer may exhibit signs of weight loss, excessive thirst, incoordination, and lack of fear of people. He said a few cases of CWD have been detected in Tensas Parish.
“Obviously the Tensas positive earlier this year was our first detections within Louisiana, and it was also within close proximity to those Mississippi positives,” said Bordelon.
Hunters statewide can also submit samples, contact your local LDWF field office for the nearest testing site.
For more information click here.
Comments