Press Release

Assistance Needed from Virginia Hunters for Chronic Wasting Disease Surveillance (DMA3)

Richmond, VA — The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) would like to ask for your continued support and assistance with the Department’s 2022 chronic wasting disease (CWD) surveillance efforts. Each deer hunting season, DWR works closely with local hunters, processors and taxidermists to monitor the geographic spread of the disease and prevalence trends in deer populations.   

On November 19, 2022, any deer killed in Carroll, Floyd, Montgomery or Pulaski counties is required to be brought to a CWD sample station to be tested for CWD.   

Required CWD sampling helps DWR to maximize CWD testing in specific counties.  Any deer, or at minimum the head and at least 4 inches of neck, killed in Carroll, Floyd, Montgomery or Pulaski counties on November 19 must be brought to one of the designated sampling stations listed below:   

Carroll County 

• Exxon/Circle K – 26 Airport Rd, Hillsville 
• Cana Volunteer Fire Dept. – 4235 Flower Gap Rd, Cana 

Floyd County  

• Floyd Express Market – 609 E. Main St., Floyd  
• Willis Village Market – 5602 Floyd Highway S., Willis

Montgomery County  

• Office building at 2206 S. Main St., Blacksburg  
• Shell Station – 4330 Riner Rd., Riner 

Pulaski County  

• New River State Park, Dora Junction – From I-81, take State Route 99 west for 2 miles. Turn right on Xaloy Way and sample station will be on left.  
• New River Valley Fairgrounds – 5581 Fairgrounds Cir., Dublin  

Deer heads plus at least 4 inches of neck may also be dropped at any of the voluntary refrigerator stations in Carroll, Floyd, Montgomery, or Pulaski counties on this day to meet the mandatory testing requirement. 

DWR strongly encourages hunters who are successful on any other day of the deer hunting season in Carroll, Floyd, Montgomery, or Pulaski Counties to submit the head and neck from their deer for sampling by bringing it to one of DWR’s voluntary CWD testing sites, which can be found atdwr.virginia.gov/wildlife/diseases/cwd/dma-3/  

Chronic wasting disease has been confirmed in twenty-six states and three Canadian provinces.  In Virginia, CWD has been detected in over 100 deer from eleven counties since 2009.  This incurable disease, found in deer, elk, and moose in North America, is a slow-acting and progressive neurologic disease that ultimately results in death of the animal. The disease-causing agent is spread through the urine, feces, and saliva of infected animals. Clinical signs of CWD, which typically do not develop for several months to over a year after exposure, include staggering, abnormal posture, lowered head, drooling, confusion, and marked weight loss. There is no evidence that CWD can be transmitted naturally to humans, pets, or livestock (with the possible exception of pigs). However, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends hunters test all deer harvested from known CWD-positive areas, wait until test results are received prior to consuming the meat, and do not consume any meat from animals that test positive for the disease.  

Regulations pertaining to CWD, maps of affected states, and information about CWD can be found on the DWR website at dwr.virginia.gov/wildlife/disease/cwd.