Saskatchewan has launched mandatory testing for chronic wasting disease (CWD) and bovine tuberculosis in select Wildlife Management Zones for the 2025-26 hunting season.
The province says hunters harvesting white-tailed deer, mule deer and elk in affected areas will be required to submit samples as part of ongoing efforts to monitor and protect wildlife health.
“We are committed to protecting the health of Saskatchewan’s wildlife populations,” Environment Minister Travis Keisig said in a statement Monday. “Monitoring wildlife health protects Saskatchewan’s vibrant hunting and agriculture economies. We rely on hunters to submit samples for testing, and we appreciate their cooperation.”
Mandatory testing will focus on bovine tuberculosis in WMZs 37 and 39, following confirmed cases in cattle herds in 2023 and 2024. For CWD, hunters in WMZs 43, 47, 50 and 55 must also submit samples.
Hunters are required to submit the head of harvested animals for testing within one month of harvest, or by Jan. 21, 2026, whichever comes first.
While testing is only required in specific zones, hunters across the province are encouraged to voluntarily participate in CWD surveillance. The disease, first detected in wild deer in Saskatchewan in 2000, has since been confirmed in 63 of 83 WMZs.
Testing is free of charge, with drop-off locations available provincewide. Hunters can register at cwdsk.ca to receive a tracking number and are asked to double-bag heads before submitting them at a designated site.
For those wanting to retain mounts, on-site technicians will be available at certain sampling stations to collect tissue.
Results will be posted online at saskatchewan.ca/cwd, with a turnaround time of four to six weeks.
The province is also expanding its carcass disposal program this year, adding more free bins for hunters to discard carcasses, waste or meat from CWD-positive animals.
More information on CWD and bovine tuberculosis testing, sampling stations and disposal bin locations is available at saskatchewan.ca