Sports
Oregon Deer Season Alert: CWD Check Stations Set for Saturday
Salem, OR – Oregon wildlife officials are expanding chronic wasting disease monitoring statewide as Any Legal Weapon deer seasons begin Saturday, with new check stations planned and hunters being aske
By Tessa Morgan · 2026-09-29T23:34:39.089Z
Salem, OR – Oregon wildlife officials are expanding chronic wasting disease monitoring statewide as Any Legal Weapon deer seasons begin Saturday, with new check stations planned and hunters being asked to submit samples from harvested deer and elk.
According to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife , all successful deer and elk hunters are being encouraged to turn in a sample for CWD testing as the agency increases surveillance across Oregon.
The department said new CWD check stations are planned as statewide Any Legal Weapon deer seasons begin Saturday, Oct. 3 . Check stations give hunters an opportunity to provide samples that wildlife officials can use to monitor for the disease.
Chronic wasting disease, commonly called CWD, affects deer, elk and other members of the deer family. Wildlife agencies use testing and surveillance programs to track whether the disease is present and identify potential spread.
ODFW is also offering an incentive for hunters who participate.
Every CWD sample submitted between Aug. 1, 2026, and March 31, 2027 , will earn the hunter one entry into a drawing for a Howa 1500 .223 caliber rifle , according to the department. The rifle is being provided courtesy of the Oregon Hunters Association.
Each submitted sample counts as a separate entry, giving hunters additional chances in the drawing if they provide samples from multiple legally harvested animals.
The monitoring effort arrives as hunters prepare for one of Oregon’s major fall deer hunting periods, making the coming weeks an important window for wildlife officials to collect samples from animals across different areas of the state.
ODFW said hunters can find additional information, including CWD check station locations , through the department’s official resources.
Officials are encouraging hunters heading into the field this weekend to review testing options before their trip and consider submitting samples after a successful harvest.