ATTENTION Cimarron, Texas, Woodward, Major, and Woods County Hunters
Two CWD-positive cases were confirmed in recent months in Oklahoma: one in Texas County about 4 miles north of Optima Wildlife Management Area, and another about 15 miles east of Woodward.
ODWC’s response plan in cooperation with the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry is to contain CWD within areas where it is detected and to minimize its artificial spread to other areas by establishing selected surveillance areas (SSA).
Previously, ODWC was notified by the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) of a road-killed deer infected with chronic wasting disease (CWD) found 2.5 miles south of the Oklahoma-Texas border near Felt, Okla., in southwestern Cimarron County.
Hunters who harvest deer or elk within the boundaries of an SSA must process those animals before leaving the SSA. The following items are the only exceptions:
- (A) Antlers detached from the skull plate, and antlers attached to a clean skull plate or cleaned skulls (all tissue removed)
- (B) Animal quarters containing no spinal materials, or meat with all parts of the spinal column removed
- (C) Cleaned teeth
- (D) Finished taxidermy products
- (E) Hides or tanned products.
These rules have been put in place to mitigate the spread of high-risk materials outside of any SSA.
The Wildlife Department is providing freezers at voluntary testing sites for hunters to drop off deer heads for testing. Supplies such as sampling tags will be provided in the drop-off freezer.
Cimarron County SSA
A Selected Surveillance Area (SSA) has been established and includes the area south of U.S. 412 from Boise City to the New Mexico state line and south of U.S. 287 from Boise City to the Texas state line (see map/pdf above).
Voluntary Testing Site:
Texas County SSA
A Selected Surveillance Area (SSA) has been established and includes the area between Hwy 64, Hwy 54, Hwy 412, Hollow N1150, Hollow W0110, and includes the town of Hooker and Optima National Wildlife Refuge.
Voluntary Testing Sites:
Hooker EMS Building at the Corner of Broadway and Illinois St
112 S Broadway, Hooker, Ok 73945
Hardesty Pak-a-Snack Convenient Store
301 Peery St, Hardesty, OK 73944
Woodward, Major, and Woods County SSA
A Selected Surveillance Area (SSA) has been established and includes the area between 183 Hwy, E County Road 54, Hwy 281, EW-36, N2280 Rd, E County Road 30, E County Road 297, E County Road 295, E County Road 29, S County Road 2183, State Highway 50, E County Road 34, S County Road 209, State Highway 50B, County Road 210, and U.S. Route 412.
Voluntary Testing Sites:
How To Submit Your CWD Sample
