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BLOOMFIELD, IOWA -- The Iowa Department of Natural Resources was at Wapello State Park Sunday, collecting samples from hunters in order to start seeing how CWD (Chronic Wasting Disease) is affecting the wild herd population.

DNR officers were taking samples from the deer’s head, including the lymph nodes and also from another portion of the head, to test for the disease.

“We have a protocol established that when we find a positive (deer) we try to beef up our sampling around that area to see if it has spread into the population. So, it is extremely important that we get those samples and determine if that disease has spread into the wild deer heard or not. So, we are trying to get as many samples from this immediate area; basically from Bloomfield to Ottumwa is kind of the target areas, but there are some outlying areas around that, and we want to get close to 700 samples from this immediate vicinity,” said Bill Ohde with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

The DNR would like hunters to help in providing samples throughout the hunting season.

To provide those samples, you are asked to contact your local conservation officer or Jeff Glaw with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources at 641-799-0793.