A Saskatoon hunter says he will not be going out this year if the provincial government goes ahead with plans to cut chronic wasting disease (CWD) testing.

John Perret spoke at an NDP news conference on Tuesday saying he was concerned about CWD in deer and elk. Under the current program, hunters can submit deer and elk heads for testing. This also helps researchers track CWD spread in the wild.

“With the increase in CWD, we are seriously concerned and we will not be hunting any more,” said Perret, who was drawn for and intended to participate in the 2026 elk and mule deer hunts.

The Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation (SWF) says it was “stunned” by the move and the timing of the decision. The NDP calls it a “backwards” decision made without consultation with hunters. The Wildlife Federation says a significant portion of the CWD testing funding comes from the Fish and Wildlife Development Fund, which receives a percentage of money from hunting and angling licenses.

“Cutting the program takes away the sense of security many hunters look for to ensure that they aren’t putting themselves or their families at risk.

The SWF has been telling its members to contact government MLA’s asking them to reverse the decision. This is what Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said at an unrelated media event Tuesday afternoon in Saskatoon.

Moe says the issue will be on the agenda when government MLA’s meeting later this week.