Colorado Parks & Wildlife logo Colorado Parks & Wildlife logo
Donate to CPW

Chronic Wasting Disease

Chronic wasting disease is a fatal neurological disease caused by one or more strains of prions (abnormally shaped proteins) found in deer, elk and moose. The disease results in the early death of an infected animal and, over time, decreases survival rates of infected herds. Once well established in a herd, it is usually impossible to eradicate. No immunity develops, and infected animals do not recover. Without management, the presence of the disease will increase and may cause a population to decline over time.​​ About half of Colorado’s deer herds and one-third of its elk herds have animals within the herd that are known to be infected with the disease.
Deer

Video: 'Seeing is Believing' Part 1

Deer, Elk and Moose

What to Look For

  • Adult deer, elk, or moose that appear to be thin or poor-doing, or that seem to lack awareness or concern or to behave oddly.
  • Carcasses of adult deer, elk, or moose that appear to be thin.

If hunters see a deer while in the field that appears to be sick, please note the location as specifically as possible and call the closest CPW office as soon as possible. Do not shoot the animal.

Mandatory Testing

In 2024, CPW will require mandatory submission of CWD test samples (heads) from all deer harvested during rifle seasons from specific hunt codes to better evaluate the prevalence of CWD in herds. Hunting is the single most effective tool wildlife managers have to monitor and manage the spread of the disease. By submitting harvested animals for CWD sampling, Colorado’s hunters provide critical information about where and how the disease is impacting deer, elk, and moose herds in the state.

Expanded Testing

Expanded testing is part of CPW’s Colorado Chronic Wasting Disease Response Plan (PDF), a 15-year plan that will rotate mandatory testing of hunter-harvested deer around the state to monitor CWD prevalence.

Deer, Elk and Moose

deer

Deer

Hunters who havest deer from specific hunt codes are required to submit a test sample to a CPW Area or Regional Wildlife Office.Testing is free for hunters selected for mandatory testing. Hunters should avoid shooting the animal in the head as tissues may be destroyed, rendering the animal unsuitable for testing. Hunters who have harvested deer in a Game Management Unit not selected for mandatory testing may voluntarily submit their animal for testing for a fee of $25 per animal.

Hunt Codes Selected for Mandatory Testing

Elk

There is no mandatory testing for elk in 2024. Hunters may voluntarily submit their animal for testing for a fee of $25 per animal.

moose

Moose

In 2024, testing fees for voluntary submissions will be waived for all moose statewide.

hunters in the field

Deer, Elk and Moose Harvested Outside Colorado

Animals harvested in states other than Colorado will not be accepted at Colorado Parks and W submission sites. Animals from other states may be tested at Colorado State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. Please contact the Laboratory​ directly for information on fees and submission details.​​​​

Contact CSU

How to Prepare Your Animal for Testing

Hunters should submit heads as soon as possible (within 5 days is recommended). The sooner you submit your sample, the sooner you will receive your test result and the more accurate it will be. Though no testing process can assure 100% accuracy for CWD diagnosis, CWD testing is greater than 90% accurate. That accuracy may be compromised with poor-quality samples.

Hunters should be prepared to leave the head until a sample can be taken and may have to wait up to a day to get their head back. 

    What to Bring with You
    • You must bring your license so that CPW can scan the bar code and obtain your address and phone number. The carcass tag that came with your license should remain with the carcass.
    • Bring the location of Harvest. You will be asked for the GMU, date of harvest and the geographic coordinates (Lat/Long or UTM) of where you harvested your deer. If coordinates are not available, you will be asked to show where the deer was harvested on a map at the submission site.
    • The hunting unit (GMU) and date of harvest.
    Preparing Heads
    • Keep heads cool and avoid freezing if possible.
    • Hunters may remove the antlers/skull cap, but remember to comply with all antler point regulations.
    • CPW will not remove antlers or capes for hunters.
    • When removing the head, leave 2 to 4 inches of the neck below the lower jawbone and base of the skull.
    • Whole brains or pieces of brain are not accepted for testing.
    • Please wrap the exposed brain and skull with cheese cloth or other material to prevent the brain from falling out of the skull.
    Lymph Node Sampling

    Lymph nodes are the preferred tissue samples for testing. Tonsils or brain stem may also be used if lymph nodes are unavailable. CPW encourages hunters to have staff remove the lymph nodes to ensure the correct samples are pulled. If you wish to remove the lymph nodes for sampling, please view and follow the steps shown in the video below.

    Submitting an Animal for Testing on Behalf of Someone Else

    If someone else submits your animal they must bring a copy of your hunting license or Customer Identification (CID) number, but the carcass tag that came with your license should remain with the carcass.​​​​

    Planning for Taxidermy

    If you wish to have a mount made of the head, you (or a taxidermist) may skin the head and remove the skull cap with the antlers attached. CPW will not remove antlers or capes for hunters. ​

    CPW suggests that hunters planning shoulder-mount taxidermy should take their animal to the taxidermist before submitting the head for CWD testing. Hunters planning European-mount taxidermy should bring the head to the CPW submission site before the taxidermist. Hunters planning taxidermy or mounting should notify CPW personnel at the submission site.

    Testing Locations

    Hunters can take heads or tissue samples to any CPW submission site regardless of where in Colorado the animal was harvested.

    Check Test Results

    Test accuracy is greater than 90%; no testing process can assure 100% for diagnosis. Accuracy may be compromised with poor quality samples.

    Please plan for up to five weeks (25 business days) from the date a head is submitted for results to become available. Moose are tested differently than deer and elk and may take longer. As soon as results are known they will be available on this page. Remember to save your CWD head tag number, which is needed to look up your results.

    There may be additional time required for heads/samples to be transported from submission sites to the laboratory; short delays may also occur due to a high volume of samples in line at the laboratory.

    If you don't get test results more than five weeks (25 business days) after submission, contact your regional Colorado Parks and Wildlife​​ office​. 

    Note: Your "Head Submission Number" is found on the tag that you received when you submitted your CWD test. If you cannot find your tag, please get in touch with Colorado Parks and Wildlife by phone at 303-297-1192. Our customer service team can look up your number.

    Processing Game Meat

    Hunters should process their deer, elk or moose as they normally would while waiting for the CWD test results. If using commercial processing, request that your carcass is processed and packaged separately. Marking packaged meat to clearly identify what animal it represents will aid in distinguishing meat from a CWD positive animal if the test results are positive. 

    Hunters should be aware that deer, elk and moose can have diseases other than Chronic Wasting disease like Hemorrhagic Disease and Deer Adenovirus. Learn more about how to minimize exposure to other diseases.

    Disease Exposure and Safely Handing Game Meat

    Positive Diagnosis

    Hunters whose animals test positive will be contacted. A Colorado Parks and Wildlife representative will try to reach you by email, mail, and phone to deliver the news regarding your positive test result. This representative will also assist you with the reimbursement process.  

    1. Do Not Consume the Animal

      Colorado Parks and Wildlife recommends that hunters not eat the meat of an animal that tests positive for Chronic Wasting Disease. Learn more about minimizing exposure to Chronic Wasting disease and other diseases.

    2. Safely Dispose of the Carcass

      In the case that a harvested deer tests positive for CWD, the hunter should carefully discard the animal. Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) currently advises that all parts of a CWD-infected animal, including processed meat, should be carefully contained in two heavy duty plastic garbage bags and put out with the weekly trash or brought to the local landfill, and further recommends that each plastic garbage bag be independently tied. CPW will accept donations of unprocessed or processed meat that is infected with CWD for research purposes at the CWD submission sites in Fort Collins, Denver and Craig. Processed meat must not contain spices of any kind to be eligible for a donation.

    3. Request Reimbursement

      Hunters can request reimbursement for costs from processing CWD positive animals. Colorado Parks and Wildlife does not offer a replacement license or refund license fees to hunters that harvest a positive animal. Reimbursements up to $50 for processing allowed without receipts. Hunters can be reimbursed up to $100 for animals non-commercially processed. Reimbursement is capped at $200 for the combined costs of commercial and personal processing of deer and elk. The maximum reimbursement for commercial processing moose is $250.​

      In order to be eligible for a processing refund, hunters will be required to submit the following:

      1. A copy of your hunting license, showing your CID number
      2. CWD head tag, given to you at the time of your CWD submission
      3. Proof of payment (Credit card receipt, front & back of canceled check,  itemized Invoice (If processor has one), a handwritten note with the tools you used (If self-processed)or receipt showing cash payment)