GREEN RIVER- Officials with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department are asking elk hunters to assist with efforts to monitor brucellosis in elk hunt areas 102, 103, and 104.

The Lincoln County Conservation District (LCCD) and Game and Fish are working together with local cattle producers to monitor brucellosis, a disease of cattle, elk, and bison. Brucellosis causes cow elk to abort the fetus. Once brucellosis is detected in cattle, the herd is quarantined, re-tested and if necessary, de-populated. A large part of the LCCD is in a Designated Brucellosis Surveillance Area (DSA). It is important to local livestock producers and the department to know the brucellosis seroprevelance rates in elk in the LCCD. Currently, cattle are tested and vaccinated for brucellosis and, at this time, there are no brucellosis positive cattle within the LCCD.

"We are asking elk hunters to submit uncontaminated elk blood samples from harvested elk, especially cows, and return the postage-paid blood sample kits to the department for testing," said Cokeville Game Warden Neil Hymas. "Some elk hunters were mailed the brucellosis blood sample kits, so if you did not get one in the mail, you may obtain one from Game and Fish personnel in the Kemmerer or Cokeville area. In addition, sample kits may also be obtained from DeMont Grandy with the LCCD by calling 307-279-3256. A blood sample from your harvested elk is important, so please do not forget to collect, preserve, and mail the sample in a timely fashion.To maintain the sample quality and its usefulness, do not freeze the blood sample and get the sample mailed to the laboratory or to Game and Fish personnel quickly; preferably within a day or two of harvest. We appreciate the help from elk hunters in our efforts to monitor brucellosis."