No positive tests yet as further collection for CWD testing enters third and final week

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reports that test results from the first weekend of collecting samples from deer in Allamakee County found no positives for chronic wasting disease among the 26 samples submitted. The DNR submits samples to the National Veterinary Services Lab in Ames for testing and the test takes about two weeks to complete.
As the second week of the tissue collection came to a close, as of Monday, March 9 at 8 a.m., 101 deer had been harvested that allowed for 82 samples collected from adult deer (41% of the goal of 200 deer) as part of the recent intensified effort to monitor for chronic wasting disease in Allamakee County. Of those samples, 61 have come from private land (41% of the goal of 150 deer) and 21 have come from Yellow River State Forest (42% of the DNR goal of 50 deer from that area). The goal remains to collect 200 samples from deer in the vicinity of where four positive deer were harvested during the 2013 and 2014 hunting seasons.
“We will definitely be allowing collecting of deer by those with permits through March 15,” DNR Wildlife Biologist Terry Haindfield said. “Any help getting some more deer collected by those already signed up with permits through next weekend would be much appreciated.”
Cooperators have done a good job collecting deer from across the 30 square mile sample area, said Dr. Dale Garner, chief of the Iowa DNR’s Wildlife Bureau. “We expect the warmer weather this week to allow cooperators a better chance of obtaining the 200 samples,” Garner said. “We are extremely pleased with the effort and cooperation of the local landowners and collectors.”
Nearly 400 collectors have been issued permits, which is more than enough for this project, Garner said. The tissue collection effort will conclude March 15.
CWD is a neurological disease that attacks the brain of infected deer and elk causing the animals to lose weight, display abnormal behavior, lose body functions and die. The Iowa DNR website has more information about CWD at http://www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting/DeerHunting/CWDEHDInformation.aspx.