Controlling Chronic Wasting Disease
Sample collection to test for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) – an always fatal disease found in deer – is being offered to hunters in NC CWD Surveillance Area 2 at the SWC Deer Program site in Lillington seven days a week by appointment through January 2, 2025. Call 919-250-8441 to schedule a drop off.
Complimentary meat storage bags are being offered by SWC to hunters bringing in deer for CWD testing. This incentive provides compact storage for venison so that hunters can hold their meat pending results of CWD testing. This allows a hunting family to process multiple deer at once, saving hours of effort. These bags also allow hunters to segregate the meat from each deer so that CWD-positive meat can be properly disposed of. Proper disposal is a critical factor in reducing the spread of this disease. Containing CWD-positive meat avoids contaminating healthy meat as well, thereby reducing food waste; and it avoids a hunter accidentally introducing CWD prions into their home. Containing and storing meat pending CWD test results promotes the opportunity for the NC Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) to retrieve CWD-positive meat for conservation research purposes.
SWC’s Deer Program is also donating enough CWD coolers to NCWRC to distribute one CWD sample cooler to every cervid health cooperator in the southeastern NC CWD surveillance area. These coolers will promote CWD sample quality, make cooperator participation more convenient, and help to improve the efficiency of NCWRC staff picking up cooperator samples. Fifty CWD sample collection kits were assembled and delivered to NCWRC for distribution to cervid health cooperators across NC Surveillance Area 2 this fall.
Homeowners can also help by not feeding deer unless that food is spread far and wide. This is because CWD can be spread when more than one deer eats off the same food pile. Click here to learn more about chronic wasting disease.
Deer Processing Workshop
The SWC Harnett Deer Program, in collaboration with NCWRC and New Hill Hunter Education and Mentoring Program will deliver free hands-on workshops on Saturday December 7th to teach students how to safely process their deer at home from field care to freezer. No experience is required. Class size will be limited. Adults new to hunting who lack local friends or family to show them how to process a deer will receive priority placement. Apply today by following this link.
South Wake Conservationists 