Field Reports: Check stations collect more than 300 CWD samples on opening weekend

The opening weekend of Washington’s modern firearm deer season got the state more than 300 samples to test for chronic wasting disease.

Staci Lehman, a WDFW spokesperson, said in an email that a total of 305 chronic wasting disease samples were gathered throughout the 10-county eastern region on Saturday and Sunday, with the bulk of the action happening on Sunday.

That bested last year’s total by nearly 100, but that was to be expected – submitting CWD samples is mandatory regionwide this year, meaning hunters have to submit samples from any elk, deer or moose they kill in the region.

The check station at the Last Resort in southeast Washington was the busiest, with 47 samples taken there. Deer Park was next, with 34.

Hunters took more mule deer than other species, according to the check station data, followed by white-tailed deer.

The modern firearm deer season continues through this weekend.

Walleye netting on Lake Roosevelt

Anglers on Lake Roosevelt may notice an uptick in boat traffic in the final week of the month.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is once again partnering with the Spokane Tribe and the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation to conduct their annual fall walleye index netting in the lake.

The operation has been conducted since 2002. Crews use nets to track the abundance of walleye and the size and age structure of the population.

Netting is set for the last week of October, according to a social media post from WDFW.