New York State DEC Requests Deer Heads From Hunters

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is asking the public for deer specimens in Upstate New York for disease testing.

The request comes after the recent detection of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in a captive deer facility in southern Herkimer County. While the DEC has not shared the name or specific details of the facility, it has emphasized the importance of routine CWD monitoring to mitigate potential risks to the local deer population.

CWD is a highly contagious and fatal brain disease that poses a significant threat to New York's deer and moose populations. The disease manifests itself in later stages through symptoms such as emaciation, disorientation, excessive drooling, and a lack of fear towards humans. The last reported case of CWD in New York dates back to 2005, detected in a captive deer facility in Oneida County.

At present, there are no reported cases of CWD in wild deer, but the DEC is seeking assistance from local hunters and the public. Individuals who encounter sick or dying deer, including roadkill deer, in the towns of Columbia, German Flatts, or Warren in Herkimer County, as well as in the town of Richfield in Otsego County, are urged to report their observations to the DEC immediately. Reports can be submitted via email to cwd.response@dec.ny.gov or by calling the DEC’s Region 6 Wildlife Office at 315-785-2263.

Hunters who harvest deer in the specified towns in Herkimer County — including Litchfield and Winfield — are encouraged to save the deer’s head and submit it for testing. The DEC will be installing white metal containers at designated drop-off locations in each town. For the convenience of hunters, testing will be free of charge, with the DEC notifying individuals promptly if their deer tests positive for CWD.

Hunters willing to submit deer heads for testing as per the DEC's guidelines are required to follow several key instructions. First, they should cut the deer head, ensuring that some neck remains attached.

The head must remain chilled or frozen until the time of submission to the DEC. Before submission, hunters must remove the skull plate and antlers on bucks. The next step involves placing the deer head in a plastic garbage bag, which should be labeled with the individual's name, address, and phone number.

To complete the process, the bagged head should be deposited into the designated white metal container at the specified drop-off locations. Additionally, taxidermists are authorized to collect samples from deer intended for mounting, further facilitating the testing procedure.

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The locations for deer head drop-offs are:

• Town of Warren: 131 Hyde-Bell Lane, Jordanville, N.Y. 13361 (highway department)
• Town of Columbia: 936 Jordanville Road, Ilion, N.Y. 13367 (sand building) or 147 County Route 259, Ilion, N.Y. 13357 (town hall)
• Town of Litchfield: 804 Cedarville Road, Ilion, N.Y. 13357 (highway department)
• Town of Winfield: 306 Stone Road, West Winfield, N.Y. 13491 (highway department)
• Town of Herkimer: 225 North Main Street, Herkimer, N.Y. 13350 (Herkimer NYSDEC Office)
• Town of Richfield: Boss Farm, 1545 County Route 25, Richfield Springs 13439