Although the Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) mandatory sample collection for chronic wasting disease (CWD) testing has ended for this year, hunters still have opportunities to get harvested deer tested for CWD.

CWD is present in the state throughout the year – not just the two days in November when MDC staffs mandatory collection sites at select locations around the state. Because of this, MDC wants to remind hunters that they have other options for getting deer tested for CWD if they wish to do so. These opportunities are part of MDC’s ongoing efforts to track a disease that, at present, has no cure, is fatal to deer, and can readily spread from one deer to another.

One option for hunters are MDC offices that have staff trained in sample collection. Hunters are encouraged to call these offices in advance during normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.) to ensure appropriate staff for sample collection are available. In southwest and south-central Missouri, these MDC sample-collection offices are:

MDC Southwest Regional Office (Greene County), 2630 N. Mayfair Ave., Springfield, 417-895-6880

MDC Ozark Regional Office (Howell County), 551 Joe Jones Blvd., West Plains, 417-256-7161

MDC El Dorado Springs Office (Cedar County), 1109 S. Main Street, El Dorado Springs, 417-876-5226.

Another option for hunters who want their deer sampled for CWD is to take their harvested deer to a taxidermist or meat processor who is partnering with MDC in sample-collection. Availability and hours will vary at these businesses, so hunters need to call participants before taking their deer or deer head for sampling. Participants in southwest and south-central Missouri are:

Barry County, Scott’s Taxidermy, Exeter, 417-835-2053

Benton County, Rifles and Reels Taxidermy, Warsaw, 660-223-3939

Cedar County, Bear Creek Meats, Stockton, 417-808-0093

Cedar County, Cedar Creek Wildlife Arts, Stockton, 417-955-2012

Cedar County, Sharp’s Taxidermy Studio, Jerico Springs, 417-955-0069

Christian County, Mitchell’s Taxidermy, Chadwick, 417-634-2085

Christian County, Oldfield Packing, Sparta, 417-634-3943

Christian County, Woods Fork Taxidermy, Highlandville, 417-860-4630

Hickory County, 4G Taxidermy, Flemington, 417-770-8195

Hickory County, Hays Processing, Quincy, 417-399-3437

Howell County, Hughes Taxidermy, West Plains, 417-255-4944

Howell County, Myers Ark Taxidermy LLC, West Plains, 417-293-7199

Laclede County, Calston Machinery and Processing, Lebanon, 417-589-2892

Laclede County, Roberts Cattle Co., Lebanon, 417-531-1067

Laclede County, Clemens Taxidermy, Lebanon, 417-532-5008

Oregon County, Holman’s Mounts, Alton, 417-270-1803

Ozark County, Summers Taxidermy and Wildlife Studio, Bakersfield, 417-505-9144

Pulaski County, Classy Taxidermy, Richland, 573-765-5166

Stone County, Pete Dickenson Taxidermy, Reeds Spring, 417-527-0695

Taney County, Real Trophies Taxidermy, Branson, 417-544-0870

MDC also maintains freezer drop-off sites in several counties. These are self-serve sites where hunters are responsible for packing their deer heads in the freezer and filling out the information on the tag that will go with the head. Packing supplies and tags are available at each site. Call 573-815-7901, ext. 7901or e-mail WildlifeHealth@mdc.mo.gov for information about these sites. Hunters need to remember that, in order for a sample to be collected, a deer head must have at least six inches of neck attached to it. Locations of these sites in southwest and south-central Missouri are:

Barry County, MDC Cassville Office, 601 State Highway 248

Camden County, MDC Camdenton Office, 783 Thunder Mountain Rd.

Cedar County, Stockton State Park, (Dadeville) 19100 South Highway 215

Christian County, MoDOT Ozark Office (Ozark), 1810 Selmore Road

Hickory County, Pomme de Terre State Park, (Pittsburg) 23451 Park Entrance Road

Howell County, MDC Ozark Regional Office (West Plains), 551 Joe Jones Blvd.

Laclede County, MDC Lebanon Office, 2350 S. Jefferson

McDonald County, MoDOT Goodman Office, 5475 State Highway 59

Oregon County, Thayer Police Dept., 102 Front St.

Oregon County, Alton MDC Office shop building, Old Cane Bluff Road (off of Highway 19)

Ozark County, Ozark County Soil and Water Conservation District Office (Gainesville), 206 N. Main St., Suite 1E

Polk County, MDC Bolivar Office, 412 Killingsworth Ave

Pulaski County, Outdoor Adventure Center (Fort Leonard Wood). Dept. of Defense ID required for access

Pulaski County, Range Maintenance building (Fort Leonard Wood), Dept. of Defense ID required for access

Pulaski County, Shelter Insurance (Richland), 700 W. Washington Ave.

St. Clair County, MDC Osceola Office, 3827 Highway 13

Stone County, MoDOT Galena Office, 1880 State Highway 248

Taney County, MDC Branson Office shop building, 226 Claremont Drive

Taney County, MDC Drury-Mincy Conservation Area office, 3441 Gunnison Road, Kirbyville

Hunters can also have harvested deer tested for CWD by contacting the Missouri Department of Agriculture Animal Health Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory located at 701 N. Miller Ave. in Springfield. The phone number is 417-895-6861. There is a fee for CWD testing at this facility (testing at other locations listed above is free). Hunters residing outside of southwest Missouri can go to https://mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species/deer/chronic-wasting-disease/voluntary-cwd-sampling for additional CWD testing locations in the state. CWD test results and other general information about the disease are available at mdc.mo.gov/cwd.