CWD Testing

During Deer Bow, Elk, Moose Seasons  

With the deer bow, elk, and moose seasons opening soon, North Dakota Game and Fish Department officials remind hunters there are options for getting their animals tested for chronic wasting disease. 

Hunters can drop off heads at any of the following locations: 

• Belfield– North Dakota Department of Transportation shop; 898 8th St. NE 
• Bismarck– North Dakota Game and Fish Department Wildlife Health Lab; 3001 E. Main Ave 
• Devils Lake– North Dakota Game and Fish Department district office; 7928 45th St. NE 
• Dickinson– North Dakota Game and Fish Department district office; 225 30th Ave. SW 
• Fargo– North Dakota Veterinary Diagnostic Lab; 4035 19th Ave. N 
• Fort Yates– Prairie Knights Quik Mart; 7932 ND-24 
• Lonetree – North Dakota Game and Fish Department district office; 1851 23rd Ave. NE 
• Jamestown– North Dakota Game and Fish Department district office; 3320 E. Lakeside Road 
• Kenmare– Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge; 42000 520th St. NW 
• Killdeer– Dunn County shop; 300 Central Ave. S 
• Minot– State Fairgrounds; 2005 E. Burdick Expressway 
• Riverdale –North Dakota Game and Fish Department district office; 406 Dakota Ave 
• Watford City– McKenzie Ranger District office; 1905 S. Main Street 
• Williston– North Dakota Game and Fish Department district office; 5303 Front St. W 

Self-sampling kits are also available to hunters who wish to have their animal tested but are unable to drop the head off at a collection site. The kits allow hunters to remove the lymph nodes and ship them to the Department's Wildlife Health Lab for testing. A sampling kit request form can be found on the Department’s website, gf.nd.gov. 

Also of note, whitetail or mule deer carcass or carcass parts taken from deer hunting units 3A1, 3A2, 3B1, 3C, 3D1, 3E2, 3F2, 4B and 4C in North Dakota; a moose from moose hunting units M10 and M11; or an elk from elk hunting units E2 and E6; may not be transported to a collection site outside of the unit. However, deer carcasses may be transported between adjoining CWD carcass restricted units, and moose carcasses between units M10 and M11. 

Grouse, Partridge Seasons Open Sept. 10 

North Dakota’s hunting seasons for grouse and partridge will open Sept. 10. 

Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. Sharptails, ruffed grouse and Hungarian partridge each have a daily limit of three and a possession limit of 12. 

All hunters, regardless of age, must have a general game and habitat license. In addition, hunters 16 and older need a small game license. 

Grouse and partridge hunters should refer to North Dakota OUTDOORS August-September issue for an outlook on the fall hunting season, available online by the season opener on the state Game and Fish Department’s website gf.nd.gov. 

Hunters are urged to keep up with the daily rural fire danger index, issued by the National Weather Service, to alert the public to conditions that may be conducive to accidental starting or spread of fires. County governments also have the authority to adopt penalties for violations of county restrictions related to burning bans. These restrictions apply regardless of the daily fire danger index and remain in place until each county’s commission rescinds the ban. Information on current fire danger indexes is available through ndresponse.gov. 

For other season information and regulations, hunters should consult the North Dakota 2022-23 Hunting and Trapping Guide.