North Dakota Game and Fish Continues Chronic Wasting Disease Testing for Hunter-Harvested Deer

What the primary sources show

• The North Dakota Game and Fish Department is asking hunters statewide to submit samples from harvested deer for chronic wasting disease testing. [KFYR-TV] [Bismarck Source]
• Hunters can submit samples by bringing deer heads to collection sites or district offices, or by using self-sampling kits to remove lymph nodes and mail them to the wildlife health lab. [KFYR-TV] [Bismarck Source]
• The department will specifically focus testing on deer harvested in select southwestern North Dakota hunting units, though hunters statewide are encouraged to participate. [KFYR-TV] [Bismarck Source]
• Chronic wasting disease is a slow-moving brain disease that affects deer, moose, and elk and can cause population-level impacts under high infection rates. [Bismarck Source]
• Test results are provided within four weeks through hunters' Game and Fish My Account inbox. [Bismarck Source]
• Fawns and deer that have been head-shot cannot be tested, and carcass waste must be disposed of through a landfill or waste management provider. [Bismarck Source]
• The department also asks hunters to collect and submit lower jaws from harvested deer to help biologists track the age structure of deer populations. [Bismarck Source]

What they left out / still unanswered

• What chronic wasting disease cases or positive test results have been confirmed in North Dakota to date?
• What actions or alerts does the department issue if positive results are found in a particular area?
• Is testing free to hunters or does it have a cost?

Official line vs. how each source framed it

• KFYR-TV: KFYR-TV reported the program as an ongoing request for hunter participation in sample submission with multiple methods available. Read it → · Ads
• Bismarck Source: Bismarck Source provided detailed instructions including specific hunting units targeted for testing, submission methods and requirements, timeline for results, carcass disposal rules, and the department's additional request for jaw samples to track deer age. Read it →

701 News writes these summaries from the sources above and checks every sentence against them. Read the originals for the full reporting. Corrections

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