Archery season, firearm deer season and the holiday season — these are tried and true traditions that most every Michigander knows! If you’re a hunter looking for a way to give back and help protect the outdoors and wildlife you love, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources hopes you’ll take part in critical disease testing for deer you harvest.
As part of ongoing monitoring and management, the DNR is offering chronic wasting disease and bovine tuberculosis testing for deer harvested during the 2024 hunting season. Every head that is turned in will help wildlife managers better understand the scope and movement of CWD and bTB in Michigan.
Chronic wasting disease testing
CWD testing is focused on the northern Lower Peninsula and Upper Peninsula. Counties eligible for CWD testing include Antrim, Arenac, Baraga, Benzie, Cheboygan, Chippewa, Clare, Dickinson, Gladwin, Grand Traverse, Houghton, Iosco, Kalkaska, Keweenaw, Leelanau, Luce, Mackinac, Manistee, Ogemaw, Ontonagon, Otsego and Schoolcraft.
Hunters can submit samples for testing through the following options:
Drop-off sites: Bring your detached deer head to a drop box, staffed deer check station or cooperating taxidermist/processor.
Self-sampling kits: Available in select counties. Call ahead to confirm kit availability.
Fee-based testing: Deer harvested outside the counties that have drop-off sites and self-sampling kits can be submitted to labs like the Michigan State University Diagnostic Laboratory or Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory for a fee.
Bovine tuberculosis testing
Focused bTB monitoring continues in Alcona, Alpena, Cheboygan, Crawford, Iosco, Montmorency, Ogemaw, Oscoda, Otsego, Presque Isle and Roscommon counties.
To participate in testing, take your deer head into any staffed deer check station, drop box or cooperating processor/taxidermist.
Please remove the deer head and complete a harvest report before submitting the head for sampling. Staffed deer check stations can assist hunters in reporting their harvest and removing antlers, if necessary.
Planning a mount?
If you want to get a taxidermy shoulder mount of your deer, no problem. You can still easily submit it for disease testing this season. After your taxidermist has skinned out the head, you can request it back and submit it for chronic wasting disease or bovine TB testing. You’ll be contributing valuable data for monitoring and managing wildlife diseases while preserving your hunting memories.
