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Deer check stations for chronic wasting disease
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources needs your cooperation.
Hunters will play an important role in chronic wasting disease (CWD) surveillance happening this year at Utah Division of Wildlife Resources check stations. During the first few days of the rifle hunt, we will be collecting deer tissue samples at a number of check stations across the state. Successful hunters who have harvested deer from this season's CWD sampling areas may bring tissue samples to be tested for CWD free of charge. Hunters who wish to test deer harvested from other units may send the deer's head to the Utah Veterinary Diagnostic Lab in Logan or Spanish Fork and pay a $25 lab fee.
Download a map of the chronic wasting disease sampling areas for the 2022–23 hunting season.
When you stop at a check station, agency staff will:
- Take lymph nodes from your deer (you will need to leave about 6 inches of the animal's neck and windpipe attached below the jaw so that we can remove the lymph nodes for the sample)
- Ask you a few questions, including the location where the deer was harvested
The entire process will take a few minutes, and your cooperation will help us monitor the disease and study its impact on the state's deer herds. Testing results will be available for you to view online within six weeks of sampling.
Chronic wasting disease — a degenerative neurological disease that affects deer, elk and moose — was first detected in Utah in 2002. As of Sept. 28, 2022, 157 mule deer and three elk have tested positive for CWD. Learn more about the disease and where it has been found in Utah.
Although there isn't proof that CWD poses a risk for human health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not recommend the consumption of animals that test positive for CWD. If your deer tests positive for CWD, the Division will replace your hunting tag (for the same unit) for free next year, as long as all materials (meat, antlers, bones, etc.) are handed in for incineration.
Check station locations
You can get your deer checked at the following locations during the hunting season:
Northern Utah
| Location | Dates and times |
|---|---|
| Mountain Dell Reservoir exit, westbound I-80 and U.S. Highway 65 | Oct. 22–23, from roughly 10 a.m. to dusk |
| Mountain Green Rest Area, westbound I-84 | Oct. 22–23, from roughly 10 a.m. to dusk |
| Coalville, Chalk Creek Road across from the Summit County Search and Rescue building | Oct. 22–23, from roughly 10 a.m. to dusk |
| West of Kamas, Highway 248 at the Browns Canyon pull-off | Oct. 22–23, from roughly 10 a.m. to dusk |
| DWR Northern Region (Ogden) Office 515 E. 5300 South Ogden, UT 84405 |
Oct. 24–28 and 31, from 2 to 5 p.m. (By appointment only. Call 801-476-2740 to make an appointment.) |
Tests are free for deer harvested from the Morgan-South Rich, East Canyon, Chalk Creek, Kamas and North Slope units. Call the DWR Ogden Office at 801-476-2740 for more information.
Northeastern Utah
| Location | Dates and times |
|---|---|
| DWR Northeastern Region (Vernal) Office 318 N. Vernal Ave. Vernal, UT 84078 |
Oct. 24–28, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (By appointment only. Call 435-781-9453 to make an appointment.) |
| Near Strawberry Reservoir, at the junction of U.S. Highway 40 and Co-op Creek Rd. (between mile markers 41 and 42) | Oct. 22–24, from roughly 9 a.m. to dark |
| Just north of Vernal on U.S. Highway 191 at the Steinaker Reservoir rest stop, near mile marker 358 | Oct. 22–23, from roughly 9 a.m. to dark |
| West of Manila on SR 43, between mile marker 4 and 3 | Oct. 22–24, from roughly 9 a.m. to dark |
Tests are free for deer harvested from the North Slope; South Slope, Yellowstone; South Slope, Vernal; South Slope, Diamond Mtn.; Book Cliffs, North; and Nine Mile, Anthro units. Call the DWR Vernal office at 435-781-9453 for more information. You may also call the DWR Vernal office for a list of meat processors in the area that will also take CWD samples, along with processing the meat.
Central Utah
| Location | Dates and times |
|---|---|
| Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (Salt Lake Office) 1594 W. North Temple Salt Lake City, UT 84116 |
Oct. 24–28 (By appointment only. Call 385-395-6330 to make an appointment.) |
| Spanish Fork Canyon (near the Covered Bridge community) | Oct. 22–24, from roughly 9 a.m. to dark |
| Santaquin (I-15 exit 242 on east side of highway) | Oct. 22–24, from 9 a.m. to dark |
Tests are free for deer harvested from the Wasatch, West unit. Call the DWR Springville office at 801-491-5678 for more information. You may also call the DWR Springville office for a list of meat processors in the area that will also take CWD samples, along with processing the meat.
Southeastern Utah
| Location | Dates and times |
|---|---|
| DWR Southeastern Region (Price) Office 319 N. Carbonville Road Suite A Price, UT 84501 |
Oct. 24–28, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (By appointment only. Call 435-613-3700 to make an appointment.) |
Nine Mile
| Location | Dates and times |
|---|---|
| Miller's Truckstop in Wellington, at the junction of SR-6 and Nine Mile Canyon Road | Oct. 22–24, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
La Sal Mountains
| Location | Dates and times |
|---|---|
| La Sal Junction at the junction of U.S. Highway 191 and SR-46 | Oct. 22–24, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
| Castle Valley at the gravel pit about 1.5 miles east of Castleton on the La Sal Mountain Loop Road | Oct. 22–24, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
Abajo Mountains
| Location | Dates and times |
|---|---|
| Kiosk on the Abajo Mountain Road at Monticello | Oct. 22–24, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
| Forest Service boundary on Johnson Creek Road | Oct. 22–24, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
Tests are free for deer harvested from the Nine Mile, La Sal-La Sal Mountains, and San Juan-Abajo Mountains units. Call the DWR Price office at 435-613-3700 for more information. You may also call the DWR Price office for a list of meat processors in the area that will also take CWD samples, along with processing the meat.
Southern Utah
| Location | Dates and times |
|---|---|
| DWR Southern Region Office (Cedar City) 1470 N. Airport Road Cedar City, UT 84721 |
By appointment only. Call 435-865-6100 to make an appointment. |
| At the UDOT shed on I-15 Northbound/U.S. Highway 20 | Oct. 22–23 |
| Ivins, on Highway 91 | Oct. 22–23 |
| Coral Pink Sand Dunes at the junction of Hancock Road and Coral Pink Road 43 | Oct. 12, 15–16, 22–25 and 29–30 |
| Bottom of Cedar Canyon, Highway 14 | Oct. 8–9, 12, 15–16, 22–24 and 29–30 |
Tests are free for deer harvested from the Panguitch Lake, Paunsaugunt, Zion and Pine Valley units. Call the DWR Cedar City office at 435-865-6100 for more information. You may also call the DWR Cedar City office for a list of meat processors in the area that will also take CWD samples, along with processing the meat.
Additional options
We will periodically have personnel available during the first few days of the hunt, or you can drop off a head during the season at one of the following meat lockers:
- Ungerman's Meats at 790 N. 400 East in Huntington
- JC Meats at 3540 S. Highway 6 in Price
- Four-Point Meat Processing at 81 W. 200 South in Monticello
If you have questions, please contact a Division office.
