DNR Asks Hunters Near Town Of Stella To Donate Deer Tissue Samples For PFAS Testing

The DNR needs deer tissue samples from hunters who harvest a deer during any of the 2024 deer hunting seasons (archery, gun or muzzleloader) within a 3-mile radius of the Town of Stella. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR
MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) needs help from deer hunters to better understand if local perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are accumulating in white-tailed deer near the Town of Stella in Oneida County.
Interested hunters will need to submit 100 grams (about the size of an adult thumb) of both muscle and liver tissue, along with harvest location details such as GPS, nearest street address or nearest intersection. Samples should be wrapped in aluminum foil and placed in a zip-close bag, then dropped off at the CWD kiosk in Rhinelander.
All samples will be processed in the order in which they were received by the State Laboratory of Hygiene in Madison. Hunters will receive a final report outlining the results of their deer’s tissue samples within 2-4 months after submission. Overall findings from testing efforts will be shared with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services to determine whether any consumption advisories are warranted.
PFAS are human-made chemicals used in industrial processes and manufactured products. PFAS don’t break down easily and can remain in the environment for a long time. PFAS can accumulate in the human body slowly over time through repeat exposure, most commonly by eating food or drinking water that contains PFAS. High levels of PFAS in the body are harmful to human health.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
More about the PFAS Problem
- Wisconsin Lawmakers, DNR Clash Over PFAS Protections in GOP Bills - Danielle Kaeding - Oct 8th, 2025
- Wisconsin Moves to Bring PFAS Limits In Line with Contested Federal Standards - Danielle Kaeding - Oct 3rd, 2025
- DNR Names Companies Responsible for PFAS Contamination In Northern Wisconsin Community - Danielle Kaeding - Sep 30th, 2025
- Green Bay Area Ducks Contaminated with ‘Forever Chemicals’ - Isiah Holmes - Sep 8th, 2025
- DNR and DHS Issue New PFAS-based Consumption Advisory for Ducks Harvested on Green Bay - Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources - Sep 4th, 2025
- DNR and DHS Issue New PFAS-based Consumption Advisories for Fish and Deer Near town of Stella and Surrounding Waterbodies in Oneida County - Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources - Sep 4th, 2025
- Groundwater Coordinating Council Releases 2025 Report to the Legislature - Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources - Sep 2nd, 2025
- Environmental Groups, Community Advocates Push for PFAS Deal - Henry Redman - Jul 14th, 2025
- Environmental Advocates Hail Wisconsin Supreme Court Decision in Evers v Marklein - Midwest Environmental Advocates - Jul 8th, 2025
- Wisconsin Supreme Court Backs State Regulators of PFAS Pollution - Danielle Kaeding and Rich Kremer - Jun 24th, 2025
Read more about PFAS Problem here