Donated Deer and Elk CWD Testing

Deer taken east of the Missouri River, except Sully County

ANTLERLESS DEER: No testing for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) required except deer from Sully County.

Field dressed carcasses can be taken directly to a participating Sportsmen Against Hunger (SAH) Big Game Processor for donation.
A SAH Processing Certificate from the processor can be filled out by the hunter and given back to the processor which will count as $75 toward the processing cost.

BUCK DEER: No testing for CWD required except deer from Sully County.

Field dressed carcasses can be taken directly to a participating SAH Big Game Processor for donation. The hunter would pay the full cost of processing.
A SAH Game Donation Record from the processor can be filled out by the hunter to record the donation.

Deer or elk taken west of the Missouri River, in Sully County east of the Missouri River, or out-of-state

Antlerless deer or elk:

Testing for CWD required. (If hunters want to collect tissue samples themselves, CWD testing kits are available at any GFP office.)
Head collection and carcass donation procedure:

Step 1.
During the Department of Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) CWD surveillance sampling period (November 13-28, 2021) the head of the antlerless deer or elk must be delivered to one of the GFP CWD Sample Collection Sites (or see GFP map).
During deer and elk hunting season dates OUTSIDE of the GFP CWD surveillance sampling period, the head of the antlerless deer or elk must be delivered to a designated GFP office (see CWD Sample Collection Sites or GFP map).

Step 2.
Instructions are posted at the sample collection site or GFP office for the hunter on how to fill out an ear tag provided by GFP for attaching to the deer or elk head. Information needed includes:

Hunter information including phone number and license number.
Hunting unit number and county of harvest.
Name of game processor where deer or elk will be donated and processed.

Step 3.
GFP will pick up the head from the GFP CWD sample collection site or GFP office for tissue sampling and testing.

Step 4.
The deer or elk carcass is delivered by the hunter to a SAH Big Game Processor for deboning and meat storage pending test results.

Step 5.
The processor will give the hunter a set of instructions for contacting SAH to make sure SAH has the hunter information and the name of the processor where the deer or elk carcass was delivered for donating and processing.

Step 6.
A SAH Processing Certificate from the processor is filled out by the hunter and given back to the processor which will count as $75 toward the cost of processing an antlerless deer. The hunter will pay any remaining processing costs.

Step 7.
Test results will be provided by GFP to SAH who will then notify the appropriate processor so meat processing can be completed if the deer or elk tests negative.

Buck deer or bull elk - for hunters who DO NOT want to keep the head of their buck deer or bull elk.

Testing for CWD required. (If hunters want to collect tissue samples themselves, CWD testing kits are available at any GFP office.) Head collection and carcass donation procedure:

Step 1.
During the GFP CWD surveillance sampling period (November 13-28, 2021), the head must be delivered by the hunter to one of the GFP CWD Sample Collection Sites (or see GFP map), or a designated GFP office (see CWD Sample Collection Sites (or see or GFP map).
During deer or elk hunting season dates OUTSIDE of the GFP CWD surveillance sampling period, the head must be delivered by the hunter to a designated GFP office (see CWD Sample Collection Sites or GFP map) for tissue sampling.

Step 2.
Instructions are posted at the GFP CWD sample collection site or GFP office for the hunter on how to fill out an ear tag provided by GFP for attaching to the deer or elk head. Information needed includes:

Hunter information including phone number and license number.
Hunting unit number and county of harvest.
Name of game processor where deer or elk will be donated and processed.

Step 3.
GFP will pick up the head from the GFP CWD sample collection site or GFP office for tissue sampling and testing.

Step 4.
The deer or elk carcass is delivered by the hunter to a SAH Big Game Processor for deboning and meat storage pending test results.

Step 6.
The hunter would pay the full cost of processing.

Step 7.
Test results will be provided by GFP to SAH who will then notify the appropriate processor so meat processing can be completed if the deer or elk tests negative.

Buck deer or bull elk - for hunters who WANT TO KEEP the head of their buck deer or bull elk.

For animals taken during any hunting season. Head collection and carcass donation procedure:

Step 1.
The hunter must arrange for delivery of the buck deer or bull elk head to a designated GFP office (see CWD Sample Collection Sites or GFP map for tissue sampling by GFP staff.

Step 2.
Information provided by the hunter to accompany the tissue sample will include:

Hunter information including phone number and license number.
Hunting unit number and county of harvest.
Name of game processor where deer or elk will be donated and processed.

Step 3.
GFP staff will submit the tissue sample for testing.

Step 4.
The hunter will deliver the deer or elk carcass to a SAH Big Game Processor for deboning and meat storage pending test results.

Step 6.
The hunter would pay the full cost of processing.

Step 7.
Test results will be provided by GFP to SAH who will then notify the appropriate processor so meat processing can be completed if the deer or elk tests negative.