A new episode of the Mississippi Outdoors Podcast is now available. MDWFP deer biologist Kamen Campbell discusses a novel method for detecting Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) that does not rely on traditional sampling techniques.
Campbell explains that scientists can now analyze soil collected from deer scrapes to identify signs of CWD. These scrapes are areas where multiple deer frequently urinate and rub their antlers. By testing soil from these sites, researchers can detect the disease earlier than through hunter-harvested samples, Campbell said.
The new testing approach could improve disease management efforts by providing earlier warning of CWD presence in deer herds. The episode is available on YouTube at youtube.com/watch?v=x4mrOd1VcLs&feature=youtu.be, according to the podcast’s organizers.
