Attention Hunters CWD Samples Needed

CWD Poster Fall 2018

Attention Peace Region 7B hunters near Fort St. John and Dawson Creek! Please submit heads of harvested deer, elk, and moose for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) testing.

As an incentive for hunters to submit harvested heads for CWD sampling, Backcountry in Fort St. John is running a draw to win a Tikka rifle package. Drop your heads off at one of our participating locations and receive an entry for the draw package. You can then submit your information to Backcountry for your chance to win!

Head drop-off locations include:

  • Front Counter BC (Fort St. John): 10003 110 Avenue.
  • Front Counter BC (Dawson Creek): 9000 17th
  • North Peace Rod and Gun Club (Fort St. John): 13300 Sunnyside Drive (near Charlie Lake)
  • Richards Meats (Pouce Coupe): Patterson Road.
  • Peace Taxidermy: 10443 Upper Cache Road (between Fort St. John and Hudson’s Hope)

If you are familiar with Chronic Wasting Disease or CWD and the potential effects on cervid (members of the deer family) populations, you will understand why wildlife managers and hunters alike are concerned about the potential spread of this disease into British Columbia.  If you have never heard of this disease then please learn about it.  Look at the resources listed at the end of this and start to understand this threat to our wildlife.  CWD could enter BC by a number of ways: from live infected animals moving to BC, by hunters transporting certain animal parts across borders, and even through hay, contaminated with the disease-causing agent, a prion, transported from an infected region. While no cervids sampled from BC have tested positive for CWD, the sample size from the Peace region is small and proactive surveillance in areas of higher risk such as near the Alberta border, is critical to early detection and, if necessary, response. Unfortunately, Alberta does have the disease and in spite of aggressive management, deer positive for CWD continue to be found and move closer to BC.

More information about CWD is available at: Chronic Wasting Disease BCincluding a slide show with information about CWD surveillance efforts in BC (CWD Slide Show), how to prepare and submit a head for sampling (Sample Preparation), and an informative pamphlet (Pamphlet) as well as contacts for more information.

You can also contact the Regional Coordinator with questions or comments:

Brian Paterson, Peace Region CWD Coordinator

250-731-6028

bapaterson@gmail.com

BC Wildlife Health Program