As South Dakota hunters get ready for deer and elk hunting seasons, the state Game, Fish & Parks Department is preparing for another round of chronic wasting disease testing.

CWD surveillance is done in counties where the disease has been verified in elk and deer. Those areas include the Black Hills, and Fall River, Custer and Pennington counties.

"We are monitoring prevalence of the disease in these areas to see if CWD is becoming more common," Steve Griffin, GFP big-game biologist, said in a news release. "There are no known human health risks involved with this disease, so we focus on determining the consequences for wildlife populations."

Hunters receiving licenses for CWD surveillance areas will be advised by mail by GF&P with details about participation, drop-off points and testing procedures. Hunters who submit deer or elk heads will be notified about test results.

"Hunter participation is the key to success of such a large-scale surveillance project," Griffin said. "Their efforts show that hunters are concerned about protecting the natural resources in South Dakota."

During last year's surveillance, 21 deer and 14 elk were found with the disease. Since 1997, 75 deer and 37 elk have tested positive for CWD in South Dakota. During that time, more than 19,600 animals were tested.

CWD is a fatal brain disease found in both captive and free-ranging elk and deer. In the disease's late stages, infected animals become emaciated, behave abnormally, lose control of muscles and other bodily functions, and die.

Those who spot elk or deer showing symptoms of CWD should report them.

For more information about the CWD surveillance program, call the GF& P Regional Office in Rapid City at 394-2391 or go to http://www.sdgfp.info/Wildlife/hunting/BigGame/CWD.htm.