LIVINGSTON COUNTY, N.Y. — The Department of Environmental Conservation is ramping up its deer testing after a Livingston County deer tested positive for chronic wasting disease. RELATED: DEC: Positive case of Chronic Wasting Disease found in wild deer in Livingston CountyIt’s the state’s first positive test in 21 years for the disease, which is highly contagious and deadly among the deer, elk, and moose family. There has never been a confirmed case in humans, but the DEC says the disease poses a serious threat to deer populations, and hunters should always avoid eating sick animals. The disease is caused by misfolded proteins that destroy a deer’s brain and nervous system.What should hunters know?The DEC is requiring hunters in the towns of Conesus, Groveland, North Dansville, Sparta, Springwater, and West Sparta to test their deer samples. You can submit samples at a DEC check station, a cooperating meat processor or taxidermist, or by putting the head in a head collection bin. Check station in Livingston County A DEC check station is located at the Livingston County Center for Emergency Operations building in Mount Morris. It will be open seven days a week from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. until Friday, Nov. 20. After that, the check station will be open from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. until Sunday, Dec. 13. The station will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, Dec. 23-25, and New Years Day. If hunters want to take their deer to a cooperating meat processor or taxidermist, or move it outside the containment area, they must get a transport permit from a DEC check station. You can learn more here. Here is the DEC’s list of cooperating processors and taxidermists: The goal is to understand the scope of the disease so wildlife officials can work to mitigate it, says Brendan Quirion, the DEC’s Big Game Unit leader.“We’re also prohibiting the movement of any deer from captive facilities in that area, prohibiting the rehabilitation of deer from that area, and restricting use of deer products such as urine and other deer products being transported out of that containment area,” Quirion said.The containment area will stay in place for five years. The DEC says hunters shouldn’t eat the venison they collect until they get the test results back. A virtual webinar on chronic wasting disease is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 17, at 7 p.m. You can register and learn more here.
