Behind the Scenes at a CWD testing facility

Backyard Tragedy

A CWD-positive buck, photographed just north of Madison, Wisconsin.

Infected

A CWD-positive doe near Black Earth, Wisconsin

The Barneveld CWD sampling station, Wisconsin. The disease is present in the wild in 11 states, Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, New York, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, New Mexico, and South Dakota.

Ready for Testing

Two big bucks brought in by a hunter to the Barneveld, Wisconsin CWD sampling station.

At The Check Station

Removing lymph nodes for CWD sampling at the Barneveld, Wisconsin station.

Lymph Nodes

Preparing a whitetail's lymph nodes for CWD testing.

Off to the Digester

Any deer tested positive in Wisconsin must, by law, be placed into a "tisue digester," which uses heat and chemicals to break down the protien that forms the CWD prion.

Testing at the Lab

The Wisconsin DNR spent $4.9 million on CWD management in fiscal year 2006.

Head Check

A Wisconsin DNR lab technician prepares to sample a head for CWD.