Colorado Parks and Wildlife will conduct mandatory chronic wasting disease testing and voluntary and mandatory sampling this year to gauge impacts of the disease on herds.
Beginning in October, CPW will mail letters to rifle season buck hunters who have been selected for mandatory testing. Thirty-one game management units are included in the mandatory sample.
Mandatory testing will be conducted in units 3, 4, 5, 14, 15, 18, 27, 28, 35, 36, 37, 41, 42, 45, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 94, 95, 96, 181, 214, 301, 361, 371, 421, 441 and 951. Voluntary testing will be conducted in units 11, 12, 13, 22, 23, 24, 131, 211, and 231.
CPW will reimburse the costs of processing CWD-positive animals – up to $200 for deer and elk that are commercially processed and $250 commercially processed moose.
Other changes include:
CPW will no longer refund license fees to hunters who harvested a CWD-positive animal.
CPW will no longer offer a replacement antlerless license for the same species as the one harvested.
Hunters whose deer tests positive for CWD will get a letter explaining CWD disposal recommendations, public health information and online sources. Each hunter with a CWD-positive animal will be notified by phone and email.
For more information, visit cpw.state.co.us/CWD.