How hunters are helping researchers track the spread of tick-borne diseases

Tick-borne diseases are on the rise throughout the country — and a unique collaboration between hunters and researchers is helping to bring more information to light.

Hunters are checking the animals they catch for ticks and then sending them to be tested for infections in a program with Baylor University and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. 

"We work with the hunter population because we thought they could be at high risk. And in doing that we realized they were exposed to all kinds of bugs," said program director Sarah Gunter, Ph.D. "We want to know what the risk is in an area because if we're going to diagnose people based off of symptoms, you have to know that there's a risk for that disease in the area."