Evelyn Lindow, of Alto, and Frank Gates, of Saline, are the winners of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) chronic wasting disease (CWD) sampling contest held during the 2021-22 hunting season.
Lindow, who harvested an 8-point buck in Richland Parish, won a $1,000 gift card for submitting her sample. Gates, a taxidermist in Saline, was awarded a $500 gift card for submitting the winning sample in the taxidermist category. The prizes in the drawing were made possible by the South Louisiana Branch of the National Deer Association.
Alto is in Richland Parish and Saline is in Bienville Parish.
Hunters and taxidermists who submitted samples were entered into a drawing for the gift cards. All samples were tested for CWD, assisting LDWF with its surveillance monitoring for the disease, which is 100-percent fatal in deer.
Lindow, a school teacher, harvested the buck on family property in Richland Parish. The avid deer hunter said she wanted to assist LDWF with surveillance of the disease.
Gates was one of the first taxidermists to assist LDWF with CWD sampling and has become a valued partner and advocate with the department as it continues to monitor for the disease. His contributions have helped LDWF meet its sample quotas in Winn and Natchitoches parishes.
The expertise and attention to detail possessed by all participating taxidermists has resulted in high quality samples that provide viable test results, LDWF Deer Program Manager Johnathan Bordelon said.
“We thank all participating hunters and taxidermists who assisted us,’’ said LDWF Secretary Jack Montoucet. “And special thanks to the South Louisiana Branch of the National Deer Association for the gift cards. They have been a long-term partner in promoting wildlife conservation, research and outreach. Their advocacy made this contest a success.’’
CWD is a fatal neurologic disease. The first positive
