Testing a deer for chronic wasting disease (CWD) requires submitting tissue samples, typically lymph nodes from the head, to a state-approved laboratory. Most hunters don’t perform the lab work themselves but do need to know how to collect or submit the right samples. Costs range from $20 to $80 depending on your state, and results usually come back within one to two weeks.
What Labs Actually Test For
CWD is caused by misfolded proteins called prions that accumulate in a deer’s brain and lymph tissue. There’s no blood test and no simple swab. The two tissues required for official testing are the obex, a small section at the base of the brainstem, and the medial retropharyngeal lymph nodes (MRPLNs), which sit deep in the head between the jawbone and the base of the skull.
Labs use one of two approved methods. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) involves preserving tissue in formalin, slicing it thin, and applying an antibody that stains prions pink or red under a microscope. A pathologist reads the slide. This is considered the gold standard because it confirms both the tissue type and the degree of infection. The second method, ELISA, grinds fresh tissue into a paste and measures prion levels with an instrument that assigns a numerical value. If that value crosses a set threshold, the sample is positive. Both tests are only performed after the animal is dead.
How to Collect Samples in the Field
Many state wildlife agencies offer drop-off stations during hunting season where you simply bring the whole head and staff handle the extraction. If your state asks you to collect lymph nodes yourself, here’s the process based on guidance from state agencies like Idaho Fish and Game and the USDA.
- Expose the throat. With the head upside down, cut across the neck behind the jawbone. Continue cutting through the windpipe until you hit bone.
- Find the lymph nodes. Pull back the windpipe and cut the muscles toward the base of the skull. The left and right lymph nodes sit halfway between each angle of the jawbone and the skull base, beneath the opening to the mouth. They’re firm, round, and roughly fingertip-sized.
- Remove and clean them. Cut out both nodes and trim away excess fat and connective tissue. When sliced open, the nodes have a marbled coloring and are light gray or reddish if bloodshot.
- Avoid the salivary glands. These sit right next to the lymph nodes but look more segmented. Labs can’t test salivary tissue, so submitting the wrong sample means no result.
If you’ve never done this before, look up your state wildlife agency’s instructional video. Seeing the anatomy once makes the difference between pulling the right node and pulling a salivary gland.
Where to Submit and What It Costs
Your state wildlife agency is the starting point. Most run their own diagnostic labs or contract with a veterinary lab at a state university. Some states set up physical check stations during rifle season; others have freezer drop-off sites at regional offices. A few, like Wyoming, test in-state harvests at no charge. Others charge fees that vary widely.
To give you a sense of range: Montana charges around $20, Colorado and Iowa around $25 to $30, Virginia $35, Wyoming $40 for out-of-state harvests, and Pennsylvania $80. Cornell’s Wildlife Health Lab accepts deer heads from hunters nationwide for $68. Many states absorb part or all of the cost if you’re hunting in a known CWD zone.
Turnaround time is typically 10 to 14 business days, though it can stretch longer during peak season when labs are flooded with samples. Plan accordingly if you’re deciding whether to eat the meat.
Shipping Samples to a Lab
If you can’t drop off a whole head in person, most labs accept shipped lymph node samples. Keep fresh tissue cold with ice packs (not dry ice, which can damage tissue). Bag specimens separately to prevent leaks from ruining your paperwork. Seal all containers and include absorbent packing material. Use a courier like FedEx or UPS rather than standard mail, since speed matters for tissue quality. Each state lab has its own submission form, so download the correct one before you ship.
Can You Test a Live Deer?
Live-animal testing exists but is primarily used in captive herd management, not by hunters. Two biopsy methods can detect CWD in living deer. Tonsil biopsy involves inserting a small instrument into the deer’s tonsillar crypt and collecting tissue. Its overall sensitivity is about 72%, climbing to 92% for deer in later stages of infection but dropping to 55% for early-stage cases. Rectal biopsy targets lymphoid tissue near the anus, but sensitivity ranges from 25% to 95% depending on species and genetics. Neither method is practical in the field, and both require sedation and a trained veterinarian.
There are no rapid, at-home test kits currently approved for official CWD diagnosis. If you see products marketed this way, check whether your state wildlife agency recognizes the results.
What to Do While You Wait for Results
The CDC recommends strongly considering testing before eating venison from any deer harvested in a CWD area. While you wait for results, you can process and freeze the meat, but hold off on eating it. If the test comes back positive, do not eat the meat. If you have your deer processed at a commercial facility, ask that it be processed individually so your meat isn’t mixed with other animals.
General precautions while handling any deer in CWD territory: don’t shoot or handle animals that look sick or are acting strangely, and don’t eat roadkill or animals found dead. Wear rubber gloves during field dressing, and avoid cutting through the brain or spinal cord.
Disposing of Carcass Remains
CWD prions persist in soil for years, so where you dump your carcass waste matters. The safest options are disposing of remains at the harvest site or bagging them and taking them to a municipal landfill. Dragging a carcass from a CWD-positive area to your home county and tossing bones in the woods is one of the ways the disease spreads to new regions. Many states have specific transport restrictions, such as banning the movement of whole heads or spinal columns across county or state lines, so check local regulations before you load up.