Fighting CWD Action Fund
Thank you for helping fight the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD)!
CWD is the biggest threat to Wisconsin’s deer herds and our cherished deer hunting heritage. Since first detected in our state in 2002, CWD has now been found in 45 counties. CWD is spreading and becoming more common where it has established itself. We need your help to support Wisconsin's Green Fire's (WGF) efforts to fight CWD and support the health of our state deer herd!
What is WGF doing to fight Chronic Wasting Disease?
WGF is working to both at the policy level and on the ground to push back against CWD’s continued spread in Wisconsin.
In July, we published our Meeting Wisconsin’s Deer Conservation Challenges Opportunities Now Report . In this report, we advocate that Wisconsin’s 2010 CWD Response Plan needs an overhaul that prioritizes state policies that reduce disease prevalence, slow disease spread and rapidly respond to new detections. We are working to engage other conservation groups and decision makers on how to implement the recommendations in this important report.
Beginning in September 2021, WGF has engaged with other conservation groups in a 10-year review of 2010 Response Plan. We anticipate the review will be completed sometime during winter 2021-22. We will be working to incorporate the recommendations from our July Report in the final review document.
What do dumpsters have to do with CWD?
The carcass of CWD infected deer can expose other deer to the disease, directly or indirectly. Long after an infected carcass decomposes, the soil will remain infectious for years, possibly exposing other deer to the malformed proteins called prions that cause CWD. Since 2019, we have partnered with the Sauk County Conservation Alliance and Wisconsin DNR to provide deer hunters with safe disposal options for their deer carcass remains. In 2020, our combined efforts captured an estimated 14.4 tons of CWD-infected deer waste through our deer dumpster program.
In 2021, WGF and the Alliance are providing 5 dumpster locations in Sauk County. WGF is sponsoring the deer dumpsters in Baraboo and Plain. This program has been very popular with hunters and participation has been growing every year. Our work includes working with local authorities to find a suitable location for the dumpster, publicizing the locations, arranging for dumpster delivery, monitoring the usage, and arranging for the dumpster disposal and replacement. In total, it costs about $5 for each deer carcass deposited in the dumpster.
With additional funding, we would like to increase the availability of the dumpsters to other areas to help capture an increased percentage of the CWD-contaminated deer waste. 
Do dumpsters work?
Yes! In 2020, our Sauk County partnership collected over 44 tons of deer carcass waste. Using the 26% CWD prevalence rate for deer tested in Sauk County during 2020, it means we helped hunters safely dispose of 420-infected deer carcasses.
What are you planning to do with the funds raised through this effort?
Wisconsin's Green Fire Chronic Wasting Disease Control Fund supports our efforts to slow the spread of CWD throughout the state by implementing the best practices for deer carcass disposal. Along with paying for proper carcass disposal at both dumpster locations, we also plan to continue our educational efforts with decision-makers, hunters, and outdoor users to improve Wisconsin’s response to this disease. With your help, we can make all of this happen!
I gave a donation! How else can I help?
1.) You can share this campaign with your friends and family through your social media channels and encourage them to get involved and help protect the deer herd and Wisconsin's hunting legacy.
2.) You can encourage the hunters in your life to visit WDNR’s webpage to learn more about CWD. If they hunt in counties where CWD has been detected, they should learn where they can safely dispose of their deer carcass waste.
3.) If you hunt in a county with CWD. Please get your deer tested to help monitor the changes in CWD prevalence and to avoid inadvertently consuming a CWD-positive deer. We also encourage hunters to harvest a deer for Food Pantry program. Not only are you helping people in need, but you are helping manage the deer herd at healthy levels.
I live near Baraboo and Plain and hunt. How can I find a dumpster?
The Baraboo dumpster is located at the City of Baraboo wastewater treatment facility at 1000 Manchester Street. The Plain dumpster is located behind the Town of Franklyn Garage at 550 Main Street. We will have the locations posted on our website and our Facebook page . For a complete list of dumpster locations, you can visit the WDNR dumpster website .
Who is Wisconsin's Green Fire?
Wisconsin’s Green Fire (WGF) brings sound science and hard-earned field experience to understanding and managing our natural resources and conserving our environment. WGF is an independent non-partisan organization committed to using science and professional expertise to support natural resources management and environmental policy. Since our founding in 2017, Wisconsin’s Green Fire has become the go-to organization providing science-based information to policymakers, state and local agencies, and citizens who care about our conservation tradition and sustaining our natural resources.
Please support our CWD Control Fund and join us in protecting our wild deer herd and Wisconsin's great tradition of wildlife management!