Hunters caught off guard as Saskatchewan ends chronic wasting disease testing program

Some hunters in Saskatchewan say the were blindsided by the province’s decision to end a program that tests for chronic wasting disease in deer and other similar animals.

A bulletin on the province’s website says the program is to be eliminated at the end of this month. Darrell Crabbe, the executive director of the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation, said he was informed of the decision earlier this week and that it caught him off guard. He said the federation doesn’t have an opinion on the decision, because it’s still developing its position.

Don Gordon, the president of the Saskatchewan Trappers Association, said the move is a step backward. He said he could see it result in less hunting, because hunters might not want to eat untested meat. Gordon also said he worries about people wasting carcasses, which could result in the disease spreading quickly.

The province said it’s ending the program because uptake from hunters has been low. Chronic wasting disease affects the brains and nervous systems of cervids, such as deer, elk and moose.