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Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks will present a free chronic wasting disease sampling training and information session for hunters and the public in Billings on Wednesday, Oct. 29that the Billings FWP headquarters shop area from 5-7 p.m. Hunters of all ages are welcome.
FWP staff will be on hand to provide updates on CWD in the state and across the region. Visitors can take part in hands-on demonstrations for collecting lymph nodes. Attendees are encouraged to bring heads from their harvested deer or elk to the clinic for sampling, as well as a field or pocket-knife like the one they might use while hunting to practice. FWP will also provide some roadkill heads for people to practice with but cannot guarantee a head for everyone. People without deer or elk heads are also welcome to come and just observe. Gloves and other safety gear will be provided.
For those bringing deer or elk heads to sample, please leave about four inches of neck meat attached to the head in order to extract the appropriate tissue samples. If heads are frozen, be sure to put them out to thaw about 48 hours prior to the event. Frozen heads are very difficult to sample and may result in being unable to obtain tissues required for testing during the training.
Those planning to attend are asked to pre-register for the event so staff can get a count for CWD kits and heads needed. Sign up by the end of Tuesday, Oct. 28th by calling CWD regional coordinator Erin Maxted at 406-241-4677, emailing Erin.Maxted@mt.gov calling the front desk at (406) 247-2940.
The FWP headquarters is located at Lake Elmo State Park in Billings.
For more information about CWD, visit FWP's website at: