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Utah to pilot mandatory CWD sampling on Ogden unit; division to provide how‑to guides
Summary
State wildlife veterinarian Virginia Stout told the board the division will pilot 10 days of mandatory chronic wasting disease sampling on the Ogden unit, distribute instructional materials to hunters, and work to shorten lab turnaround currently with the Utah Veterinary Diagnostic Lab (2–6 weeks). Positive carcasses will be confiscated and incinerated.
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources plans a pilot mandatory sampling period for chronic wasting disease (CWD) during a 10‑day window on the Ogden unit as part of a broader testing rollout, state wildlife veterinarian Virginia Stout told the Wildlife Board on Dec. 4.
Stout said the division will produce an informational video and a one‑page illustrated guide so hunters can sample tissues themselves. "We'll also be making, like, a short one pager to show demonstrate how to take those with pictures as well," she said. The Utah Veterinary Diagnostic Lab performs tests; Stout said current turnaround is about two to six weeks and staff are working to shorten it closer to two weeks.
Why it matters: CWD is a fatal disease of cervids. The division chose the Ogden unit for the pilot because it has had only one known case in an elk and staff want to better understand prevalence. Stout said mandatory sampling of deer in the Ogden unit will be supplemented by voluntary sampling of elk and deer in neighboring areas to broaden surveillance.
Handling of positives and compensation: Stout told the board that if an animal tests positive the carcass is confiscated and incinerated in Utah, and the CDC recommends against eating meat from a positive animal. The division currently reimburses hunters for processing fees when mandatory testing is in effect; Stout said that policy may change if cases increase.
Research on live‑animal testing: The division is researching live-animal sampling (ear punches, nasal swabs and other samples) with USDA and Utah State University partners and exploring molecular techniques that differ from mortality testing; Stout said those methods show promise but are not yet validated.
Next steps: The division will publish the sampling instructions and logistics for the Ogden-unit mandatory sampling window and continue outreach to processors and hunters to reduce uncertainty about meat processing during test turnaround.
