This hunting season the Ministry of Environment and the Canadian Co-operative Wildlife Health Centre will be conducting targeted Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) testing in both east central and south western Saskatchewan.
CWD is a fatal neurological disease that can affect all cervids, including deer, elk and moose. To determine an accurate estimate of the prevalence of the disease, the ministry requires a minimum of 600 samples over a three-year period from each Wildlife Management Zone (WMZ).
"We hope that by making the process of head submission more convenient, more hunters will be able to help us in assessing the prevalence of the disease in each area," Environment Minister Dustin Duncan said. "Hunters play a crucial role in the CWD program and in the province's wildlife management programs."
The east central targeted testing is occurring in WMZs 37, 39, 43, 48, 49, 56, 57, 58, 59 and 60. Sampling stations will be located in:
Hudson Bay: Thursday, November 3 to Monday, December 12, 2011. at the Co-op parking lot (intersection of Hwy 3 and 9).
Preeceville: Thursday, November 17 to Monday, December 5, 2011, at the Lakeland Motel parking lot (intersection of Hwy 9 and 49).
In the south west testing is occurring in WMZ 5 and a sampling station will be located at:
Swift Current: Thursday, November 3 to Monday, December 12, 2011, at the Ministry of Environment compound (corner of 11th Ave. NW and Chaplin St. W).
Hours of operation are Thursday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Monday from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
In addition to these stations, heads from all areas will continue to be accepted at all Ministry of Environment offices, as well as two private check stations in Carrot River (DBN Service, 306-768-2446) and Porcupine Plain (Parkland Co-op, 306-278-2022).
All individuals who submit a sample through the program on or before January 15, 2012, will be eligible for a special hunting opportunity. There will be five draws in which the winner and three additional people will receive a free hunting licence of their choice.
For more information about the check stations, please contact:
Canadian Co-operative Wildlife Health Centre, Toll free at 1-888-966-5815 or www.ccwhc.ca, Ministry of Environment offices at: Hudson Bay: 306-865-4400; Preeceville: 306-547-5660; Swift Current: 306-778-8205 or www.environment.gov.sk.ca/wildlifediseases
