BONNER — General rifle season is in full swing in Western Montana, but with a disease outbreak affecting some deer populations — hunters are helping out by getting their harvests checked out.

One buck made its debut opening day afternoon, brought in by Isabel Janzen who bagged it with her husband and their hunting buddy Sarge.

"He's so old, so sometimes he gets cranky and tired," Janzen said. "Isn't that right Sarge?

Janzen's harvest is helping Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks' monitoring of several diseases this season — Chronic Wasting Disease, Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease, Blue Tongue Disease and more.

But with an EHD outbreak reported in and around Missoula, biologists are working to prevent CWD from taking hold.

"It’s helpful for us to get a number of samples from a variety of hun

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