A total of 7 CWD drop-off locations are located in Franklin, Madison, and Tensas Parishes this season
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has added another CWD drop-off location in the Tensas River National Wildlife Refuge.
- Tensas River NWR: 0.3 miles South of I-20 at the Waverly exit on Highway 577 – 91.421965, 32.425870
(LDWF) is providing Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) drop-off locations within the Franklin, Madison, and Tensas parishes CWD Control Area for deer hunters to submit samples for CWD testing.
Hunters wishing to submit deer heads to have them tested for CWD can visit these locations, submit samples and view results using the sample number obtained at the drop-off location. The locations are self-service, and hunters can place deer heads in the freezers provided. Instructions, sampling bags, and hunter information cards are provided at the locations.
CWD Control Area Drop-off Locations that will be available for the 2022-23 season include:
- Tensas Parish Sheriff’s Resource Center – 8554 Hwy. 65 Waterproof 71375 – 91.392237, 31.810463
- Buck Fever Taxidermy – 3083 Hwy. 65 Newellton 71357 – 91.255584, 32.071990
- Big Lake WMA – North of Louisiana Hwy. 4, 12 miles east of Gilbert 71336 – 91.487169, 32.160109
- Buckhorn WMA – 3217 Hwy. 128 St. Joseph 71366 – 91.3669, 32.020688
- Tallulah U-Pak-It – 120 Hwy. 65 South Tallulah 71282 – 91.199977, 32.396619
- Wisner Location – 387 Kansas St. Wisner 71378 – 91.655033, 31.970490
- Tensas River NWR: .3 miles South of I-20 at the Waverly exit on Highway 577- 91.421965, 32.425870 (new site)
A map of these locations is above and on the LDWF website at https://www.wlf.louisiana.
CWD is a neurodegenerative disease of white-tailed deer and other members of the family Cervidae. It is caused by a prion, an infectious, misfolded protein particle, and is 100% fatal in affected deer after an indeterminate incubation period. There is no treatment or preventative vaccine for CWD.
CWD-infected deer may exhibit signs of weight loss and emaciation, excessive salivation, frequent drinking and urination, incoordination, circling and lack of fear of people and always results in death of the animal.
Although CWD has not been shown to be contagious to humans, the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization recommend against the human consumption of deer known to be infected with CWD. Also, it is recommended that people hunting in areas known to harbor CWD-infected deer have their deer tested for the disease prior to consuming the animals.
In addition to self-service drop-off locations, hunters statewide desiring to have their harvested deer tested for CWD can contact local LDWF Field Offices to have their deer tested. Testing is performed on the brainstem and lymph nodes of the head. The head and five inches or more of the neck can be removed and refrigerated for submission to LDWF. The skull plate and antlers can be removed prior to testing if desired. The LDWF regional office contact information and locations are as follows:
- Hammond Office 985-543-4777 42371 Phyllis Ann Drive Hammond;
- Lafayette Office 337-262-2080 200 Dulles Drive Lafayette;
- Lake Charles Office 337-491-2575 1213 North Lakeshore Drive, Lake Charles;
- Minden Office 318-371-3050 9961 Hwy 80, Minden;
- Monroe Office 318-343-4044 368 Century Link Dr, Monroe;
- Pineville Office 318-487-5885 765 Maryhill Rd., Pineville.
Detailed instructions and more information can be found at https://www.wlf.louisiana.
For more information on CWD, go to https://www.wlf.louisiana.
