For Release: Thursday, September 29, 2005
DEC Reminds Hunters of Protocols in CWD Containment Area
Several Facilities Available for Hunters to Bring Deer for Processing, Testing
With the archery deer hunting season opening this week in the Northern Zone, Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Acting Commissioner Denise M. Sheehan today reminded deer hunters who plan to hunt in the Oneida-Madison County CWD Containment Area, that new regulations are in effect this fall. The regulations are intended to minimize the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), a central nervous system disease which affects deer and elk. CWD was documented in this area last April , the first and only occurrence to date in the State.
The CWD Containment Area includes Oneida County municipalities, including the cities of Rome, Sherrill, and Utica, as well as the towns of Annsville, Augusta, Floyd, Kirkland, Lee, Marcy, New Hartford, Trenton, Vernon, Verona, Vienna, Western, Westmoreland, and Whitestown. In addition, the Madison county towns of Lenox, Stockbridge and the city of Oneida are also included.
These new regulations impact how hunter harvested deer and specific deer parts may be processed, transported and disposed of within the CWD Containment Area. These include the mandatory check of hunter harvested deer. Hunters who harvest a deer from the Oneida - Madison Containment Area are required to bring their whole field-dressed deer to the DEC check station or to a cooperating facilities for examination no later than 5 p.m. on the day after it was taken.
During this examination, tissue samples will be extracted for CWD testing In most cases this will involve removal of the deer's head, with the remainder of the carcass returned to the hunter. If desired, the antlers and skull cap will also be returned to the hunter. Hunters wishing to have their trophy mounted will be referred to a cooperating taxidermist in the containment area if they want to have their deer professionally caped for mounting by a taxidermist of their choice. Test results will be used to determine the frequency and distribution of the disease and help guide appropriate deer management decisions. To date, only two of 444 wild deer collected from the containment area have tested positive for CWD. Test results will also be available after one week to the hunters. Test results can be obtained via the DEC website by looking up the hunters DOC number that appears on the deer carcass tag or by calling 1-866-NYS-CWD1 (697-2931).
A newly constructed deer check station, located on the Hoag Road, three miles southwest of downtown Rome off State Route 365, will be open for hunter access seven days per week, starting September 27, and going through December 21. Normal hours of operation will be noon to 7 p.m. During peak deer harvest periods, such as the Northern Zone Muzzle Loader Season (October 15-25) and the first 10 days of the Southern Zone regular gun season (November 19-28), the check station will operate under extended hours, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Other periods of extended operation hours, yet to be determined, may also be available. To contact the check station call (315) 336-4809.
In addition, designated cooperating venison processors within the CWD containment area will serve as alternate check station facilities. Hunters bringing deer to these processors will be in compliance with the current regulations. The current list of cooperating facilities within the CWD containment area includes:
- Ron Seelman, Marcy, (315) 865-5898
- Terri Sciortino, Marcy, (315) 865-6404
- MaryAnn Jones, Marcy, (315) 865-4311
- Bill Marcellus, Lee Center, (315) 336-9145
- Daryl Curtis, Verona, (315) 363-2763
- Megosh Custom Cutting, Westmoreland, (315) 725-3465
Successful hunters should contact the cooperating facility before delivering their deer. Hunters who have their deer checked at one of the above venison processors will not need to report to the DEC check station.
In addition to mandatory deer check, the new regulations impact hunters by prohibiting the movement of whole deer and certain deer parts including the spinal cord, specific head parts (brain, eyes, tonsils, lymph nodes) and internal organs (intestinal tract, spleen) from the CWD containment area. This means that hunters who harvest a deer within the CWD containment area will only be able to transport their venison outside the containment area after these parts have been removed. Other provisions of the new regulations, include a prohibition on the possession of road killed deer, and the collection, sale or transport of deer urine taken from within the CWD containment area, also apply. These and other CWD related regulations are detailed on page 31 of the 2005-2006 Hunting regulations Guide and on the Department website.
For more information, contact the DEC Region 6 Wildlife offices in Watertown 315 -785-2261 or Utica 315-793-2556.
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