Meetings on CWD preclude testing effort in Illinois

Springfield — The final Illinois DNR information meeting on the state’s CWD situation is scheduled to be held Oct. 2 in Adams County. Which means deer hunters who attended one of the 10 gatherings have a better idea what biologists are dealing with as the deer disease spreads.

More importantly, they were reminded that the goal is to prevent further spread.

That Oct. 2 meeting comes the day after the 2025-26 archery season opens, a strategic move to closely follow release of DNR’s annual CWD Report. As the last meetings are being held, DNR encouraged hunters to have deer they kill this season tested for CWD.

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“Hunters can visit participating vendors, including taxidermists and meat processors, or leave deer heads at self-serve drop-off sites,” DNR offered. “Hunters who plan to have their deer mounted can have a cooperating taxidermist collect the sample; testing procedures will not damage the deer skull. Hunters not using a cooperating taxidermist can take the caped-out head to a DNR drop-off spot.

Other notes from DNR on the check stations:

• Voluntary check stations will serve only to provide CWD testing services to hunters, so harvested deer must be checked in online or by phone before bringing them in for sampling.

• Hunters in non-CWD counties can use sample drop-off barrels or sampling vendors to have samples tested.

• Hunters can view the results of their CWD tests online. Hunters should allow two to four weeks for results to post.