Montana Hunters Drive Record Chronic Wasting Disease Sampling Effort in 2025

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks concluded its general season sampling for chronic wasting disease on December 24, 2025, calling the effort one of the most productive monitoring periods to date. The department credited thousands of hunters statewide who brought harvests to check stations or submitted samples, and said the public cooperation allowed seasonal staff to collect and process an unusually large volume of specimens.

From July through the present, FWP processed 8,372 samples statewide. Participation peaked during the week of November 13 to 19, when 1,741 samples were collected, the highest weekly total recorded during that period. Species level totals show 4,427 white tailed deer samples, 3,005 mule deer samples, 894 elk samples, and 46 moose samples. To date there have been 428 positive or suspect detections statewide, consisting of 247 white tailed deer, 178 mule deer, and 3 elk. Hunters received CWD test results in an average of 7.6 days this year.

Monitoring is central to preventing large scale population impacts to deer, elk and moose because it supplies biologists with the location and prevalence data necessary to track disease movement across landscapes. Sam Treece, FWP’s wildlife CWD technician supervisor, thanked hunters and local communities for collaborating with seasonal CWD staff who collected and received samples throughout the season. FWP said it will continue to accept samples beyond the general season and that sampling remains available at regional offices for certain hunts.

For Lewis and Clark County residents the results carry immediate management and community implications. Reliable test data informs potential changes to hunting regulations, targeted surveillance or mitigation measures, and allocation of agency resources. Faster turnaround on test results also helps hunters make timely decisions about carcass handling and future participation in surveillance efforts. Hunters can check individual results online and access the department dashboard at fwp.mt.gov/CWD.

The department emphasized its commitment to transparency and science based management, and framed hunter participation as a form of civic engagement that underpins Montana’s wildlife stewardship. Continued cooperation between residents and FWP will determine how effectively the state can contain CWD, maintain sustainable wildlife populations, and protect long standing hunting traditions.