With chronic wasting disease (CWD) numbers in the province climbing higher each year, the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation is urging all hunters to get their animals tested this fall.

CWD was inadvertently introduced into Saskatchewan by farmed deer populations nearly three decades ago. The disease is related to bovine spongiform encephalopathy, commonly known as "mad cow disease" and kills those animals infected with it by creating holes in the creatures' brains. It develops very slowly and can take years before any symptoms show up, but is nevertheless ultimately fatal.

Symptoms include drooling/foaming at the mouth, lack of coordination, disoriented, the animal is abnormally thin, and may not have its usual 'fight or flight' instinct.

Darrell Crabbe, Executive Director of the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation.

"It's the number one concern for our terrestrial wildlife, and without a doubt, the biggest issue that we're facing in Saskatchewan and has been for a number of decades now. The prevalence rate of that disease in certain areas has risen; in some cases well over 50 per cent."

The disease is found throughout the province but is most common in the southwest and central-west areas around Swift Current and Lloydminster. The hope is to prevent the disease from spreading further east.

"Hunters are probably only the real opportunity we have to try to gain control over this disease," says Crabbe, "But it's as much about trying to figure out the prevalence of the disease in the local population, as it is trying to figure out where the disease isn't present. We encourage everybody to play a role in that and make sure they get their heads submitted."

Hunters can bring their animal heads to the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation building in Moose Jaw for testing. If possible, you are also encouraged to try and remove the glands themselves from the deer head to speed up the testing process. An instructional video of how this can be done can be found on the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation website.