The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is asking hunters for help this fall to stop the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), a fatal illness that affects deer and moose.
The request follows a confirmed case of CWD at a captive deer facility in the Town of Columbia, Herkimer County in 2024. Since then, DEC has tested nearly 200 wild deer in the area — and found no signs of the disease. Now, officials want to keep it that way.
During the 2025 hunting season, DEC will offer free CWD testing for deer harvested in six towns: Columbia, German Flatts, Litchfield, Warren, and Winfield (Herkimer County), and Richfield (Otsego County). Hunters can drop off deer heads at any of eight designated collection sites, while taxidermists can assist by submitting samples from mounted deer.
Drop-off instructions include:
- Remove and bag the deer head with neck tissue intact.
- Chill or freeze before drop-off.
- Label the bag with your name, address, and phone number.
- Fill out a DEC tag at the drop site and zip-tie everything closed.
The drop-off locations are listed in full at dec.ny.gov.
DEC says all deer will be tested at no cost, and hunters will be contacted directly if their deer tests positive.
CWD has not yet been found in wild deer in New York, and state officials are committed to keeping it that way. The disease is always fatal and spreads through contact with infected body fluids, contaminated environments, or contaminated meat.
“Hunters and taxidermists play a vital role in protecting New York’s deer herd,” DEC officials said. “Submitting your deer head for testing could help stop CWD before it takes hold in the wild.”
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