By Mike Totey, OHA Conservation Director
Instead of chasing deer on opening weekend, OHA State President Steve Hagan and OHA staff helped out at the Prineville chronic wasting disease (CWD) check station. This isn’t glamorous work, but it is critically important. Check stations like the ones in Baker, Elgin, Celilo and Prineville take samples of lymph nodes that can be tested for the presence of CWD. The goal was to get successful hunters in and out of the check station within 10 minutes.
According to ODFW, a total of 362 samples were taken during the opening weekend period at the check stations. These samples will go toward ODFW’s goal of collecting 4,000 total samples in 2024. As a bonus, hunters who submit samples for CWD testing will be entered into a drawing for a rifle combo or scope that were provided by OHA.
The check stations open again over the first weekend of the first elk season in eastern Oregon, with an additional check station in Ukiah. The check station locations can be found at this link (https://myodfw.com/articles/other-ways-get-your-animal-tested-cwd)
The lymph nodes are located at the base of the skull under the bottom jaw bone. Leaving the top vertebrae attached to the head will ensure that a good sample can be taken from your animal. Have your transport tag attached, be ready with either your paper tag or e-tag, and answer a few simple questions on the wildlife management unit where you harvested your animal. That’s it! ODFW staff and volunteers will take care of the rest.
Also remember that if your route home does not take you by a check station, you can have your harvested deer or elk sampled at the ODFW field offices (call first before you go) and many of the meat processors and taxidermists are able to take samples as well.
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