Finding CWD Without a Dead Deer: Scrape Testing Explained

MDWFP deer biologist Carmen Campbell joins the Mississippi Outdoors Podcast to explain a new way scientists are detecting Chronic Wasting Disease — without relying on a dead deer.The conversation breaks down what deer scrapes are, why multiple deer use them, and how soil collected from scrapes can be tested for signs of CWD. Campbell explains how this method can detect the disease earlier than traditional hunter-harvested samples and why that matters for managing deer herds.Matt and Carmen also discuss how scrape testing ties into Mississippi’s three-mile CWD tag program, giving hunters more opportunity while helping biologists monitor the disease. It’s a fascinating look at how science, hunters, and wildlife management intersect to protect Mississippi’s deer resource. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.