The Department of Natural Resources today reminded successful hunters to visit a deer check station to help the DNR monitor wildlife disease and manage the state's wild deer herd. A list of check stations is available on the DNR Web site at www.michigan.gov/dnrhunting.

"I encourage successful hunters to bring their deer to a check station this hunting season so that we can gather important biological information and collect enough specimens for adequate disease testing," said Russ Mason, chief of the DNR's Wildlife Division. "With the discovery of Chronic Wasting Disease in our state in August, we will be greatly expanding our testing for this disease, not only in the surveillance zone in northern Kent County, but statewide as well. Cooperation from hunters is essential as we continue to determine if the disease is present in wild, free-ranging deer."

The DNR plans to collect at least 50 deer heads for CWD testing from every county in the state. From the counties immediately adjacent to and including Kent County, the DNR will collect 300 heads for CWD testing.

Hunters who are successful in the nine townships of the CWD surveillance zone in northern Kent County are required to come to a check station with their deer. The DNR will collect the deer's head for disease testing, but allow the hunter to retain the antlers and cleaned skull cap, the cape and deboned meat. All deer taken in the CWD surveillance zone will be tested for CWD. Deer carcasses from the surveillance zone cannot be moved outside the nine townships --Tyrone, Solon, Nelson, Sparta, Algoma, Courtland, Alpine, Plainfield and Cannon.

There will be additional check stations in the Kent County CWD surveillance zone to make it more convenient for hunters to bring their deer in for testing. The check stations are:

• The Howard Christensen Nature Center, 530 20 Mile Rd. in Kent City. This check station will be open though Jan. 9 daily from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., but will be closed on state holidays.
• The Rockford Sportsman's Club, 11115 Northland Dr. NE in Rockford. This check station will be open though Jan. 9 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day, but will be closed on state holidays.
• The Red Flannel Rod and Gun Club, 7436 18 Mile Rd. NE in Cedar Springs. This check station will be open through Jan. 9 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day, but closed on state holidays.
• The Rockford Rest Area 525 at mile marker 99 on southbound US-131 in Rockford. This check station will be open Nov. 15-19 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day.

Hunters in the CWD surveillance zone are required to bring their deer to a check station in the zone. Hunters in other parts of the state are not required to bring their deer to a check station, but are encouraged to, so that the DNR can gather adequate specimens for disease testing.

At check stations, staff will examine teeth wear of the deer to determine its age. Staff will record age, sex, total antler points and antler beam diameter, and harvest location. Deer brought to the CWD surveillance zone check stations will have their heads removed by DNR staff for disease testing. Hunters at other check stations around the state have the option of donating the deer head for disease testing. For their effort in helping with the data collection, they will be given a Deer Management/Successful Hunter collector's patch.

More information about CWD is available on the State of Michigan's Emerging Diseases Web site at www.michigan.gov/chronicwastingdisease.