SPOONER, Wis. - The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources will offer landowners scientific collector permits to harvest adult deer of either sex for CWD testing within the 2 mile sampling area surrounding Shell Lake.

Landowner permits were recommended by the Chronic Wasting Disease Citizen Advisory Team to focus sampling efforts that may provide valuable information regarding the health of deer on private lands.

Interested landowners within the 2 mile sampling area who would like a permit or more information can visit the Spooner DNR Service Center Sept. 12 or Nov. 14 at 6 p.m. Participating landowners may assign hunters to harvest deer and submit the head, and may assign someone else to pick up permits at the September or November meetings by contacting the Spooner Service Center at 715-635-4025.

Approximately 1,900 adult deer have been sampled within 10 miles of the Shell Lake location of the CWD-positive deer since 2012. To date, no additional positives have been discovered since CWD was found in one deer in fall 2011 in Washburn County. Wisconsin's citizens have played a key role in CWD sampling efforts in Wisconsin and the department staff would like to thank all participants and collection cooperators for their continued efforts.

For more information regarding chronic wasting disease in Wisconsin, search keyword "CWD."