CWD surveillance zones

Read this important notice

CWD information on this page and pages linked to it applies to the 2023 season and may be outdated.

CWD information for the 2024 season will be available on Aug. 1.

Learn about CWD, its history and how it is spread on our background page.

CWD has not been found in wild deer but they are considered at risk for disease transmission due to detection of CWD in farmed deer, an adjacent DPA or state or where surveillance is occurring for other purposes. Deer feeding bans may be in place.

Deer permit areas included

101, 110, 197, 201, 233, 255, 256, 257, 259, 260, 262, 263, 265, 268, 287, 293, 341, 342 and the portion of 169 west of Minnesota Highway 6.

Requirements

Testing is mandatory during the opening weekend of the firearms A season (Nov. 4-5).
Deer must be registered before sampling.
Testing must be completed within 24 hours of harvest unless a hunter uses a mail-in kit, which must be obtained prior to Saturday, Nov. 4, and the resulting sample postmarked within 72 hours of harvest.
Deer feeding and attractant bans may be in place. Deer permit areas (DPAs) do not necessarily follow county lines. A DPA may only partially overlap with a county that has a deer feeding and attractant ban in place.

How to get your deer sampled

CWD sampling options available for deer harvested Nov. 4-5 to complete the mandatory requirement include:

Staffed sampling stations available Nov. 4-6
Self-service sampling stations are only available Nov. 4-6 in these zones. Using a self-service station.
Taxidermists and processors participating in the partner sampling program
Mail-in kits (while supplies last) and unused kits from previous years

Interested in getting your deer sampled even if it's not required? Take advantage of:

Taxidermists or processors participating in the partner sampling program
Mail-in kits (while supplies last) or unused kits from previous years
Making an appointment at a local DNR wildlife management area office within CWD areas during regular business hours
Self-service sampling stations (check our list below for availability)

How to prepare

Screenshot of township, range and section (PLS) location on DNR's recreation compass

Deer must be registered before sampling.
Hunters who harvest a deer either Saturday, Nov. 4 or Sunday, Nov. 5 in DPAs requiring mandatory sampling must have any adult deer (1 year or older) sampled.
Hunters will need their Public Land Survey (PLS) number or GPS coordinates in latitude and longitude at staffed and self-service sampling stations so the township, range and section of your harvest can be recorded. For the PLS number, zoom completely in to your harvest location on recreation compass and click. Write down the PLS number that appears in the popup box.

Sampling station locations

Staffed sampling stations are open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4, through Monday, Nov. 6. Staffed sampling stations will be open through Monday, Nov. 6, to allow hunters who harvest a deer late in the evening Sunday, Nov. 5, the ability to submit a sample.

Use the show entries, search and sort features to locate and list sampling stations serving the DPAs in which you hunt.

DPAs	City	Location	Address	Status Nov. 4-6
110, 169, 197, 259, 287	Akeley	Cenex	440 Broadway St E, Akeley, 56433	Staffed Checkstation
110, 169, 197, 259, 287	Backus	Godfrey's True Value	964 State 371 NW, Backus, 56435	Staffed Checkstation
110, 169, 197, 259, 287	Cass Lake	Cass Lake Public Boat Access	5766 U.S. Hwy 2, Cass Lake, 56633	Self Service
110, 169, 197, 259, 287	Kelliher	Municipal lot between Village One Stop and the Liquor Store	143 Clark Ave S, Kelliher, 56650	Staffed Checkstation
110, 169, 197, 259, 287	Northome	Koochiching County Fairgrounds	12099 U.S. Hwy 71, Northome, 56661	Staffed Checkstation
110, 169, 197, 259, 287	Park Rapids	DNR Wildlife Office	603 1st St W, Park Rapids, 56470	Staffed Checkstation
110, 169, 197, 259, 287	Squaw Lake	Firehall/Community Center	51272 State Hwy 46, Squaw Lake, 56681	Self Service
110, 169, 197, 259, 287	Walker	U.S. Forestry Department	201 Minnesota Ave E, Walker, 56484	Staffed Checkstation
256, 257, 262, 265	Ada	MNDOT Truck Station	680 4th St E, Ada, 56510	Staffed Checkstation
256, 257, 262, 265	Brooks	Brooks Travel Plaza (SW corner of parking lot—enter off of Hwy 59)	701 Hwy 59 S, Brooks, 56715	Self Service
256, 257, 262, 265	Erskine	DNR Wildlife Office	127 Bradley Blvd, Erskine, 56535	Staffed Checkstation
256, 257, 262, 265	Felton	Felton Country Store	102 7th St, Felton, 56536	Self Service
256, 257, 262, 265	Fertile	Northdale Oil	702 N Mill St, Fertile, 56540	Staffed Checkstation
256, 257, 262, 265	Hendrum	Nepstad Oil	133 U.S. 75 N, Hendrum, 56550	Self Service
256, 257, 262, 265	5 miles west and 1 mile north from Mentor	DNR Roving Crew Office	31077 MN 32, Mentor, 56736	Self Service
256, 257, 262, 265	Moorhead	Moorhead Police Department Gun Range	2200 15th Ave N, Moorhead, 56560	Staffed Checkstation
256, 257, 262, 265	Red Lake Falls	Red Lake Falls Veterinary Clinic	10044 205th St SW, Red Lake Falls, 56750	Staffed Checkstation
256, 257, 262, 265	Thief River Falls	DNR Wildlife Office	246 125th Ave NE, Thief River Falls, 56701	Staffed Checkstation
256, 257, 262, 265	Twin Valley	Heritage Center and Art Foundation	104 1st St NE, Twin Valley, 56584	Staffed Checkstation
101, 201, 260, 263, 268	Caribou	Roseau River Caribou Water Access, 2 miles east from Caribou	48.979247, -96.405416	Self Service
101, 201, 260, 263, 268	Greenbush	Greenbush Race Park	700 County Rd 7, Greenbush, 56726	Staffed Checkstation
101, 201, 260, 263, 268	Lancaster	Bernstrom Oil Convenience Store	218 U.S. 59, Lancaster, 56735	Staffed Checkstation
101, 201, 260, 263, 268	Karlstad	Karlstad Eagles Club	208 Main St N, Karlstad, 56732	Staffed Checkstation
101, 201, 260, 263, 268	Stephen	Chale Tire and Oil Co	360 U.S. 75, Stephen, 56757	Self Service
101, 201, 260, 263, 268	Lake Bronson	Cenex	250 S State Ave, Lake Bronson, 56734	Staffed Checkstation
101, 201, 260, 263, 268	St. Vincent	Chale's Service and Oil Co	3972 U.S. 75, St. Vincent, 56755	Self Service
101, 201, 260, 263, 268	Roseau River WMA	DNR Wildlife Office	27952 400th St, Roseau, 56751	Self Service
101, 201, 260, 263, 268	Grygla	DNR Forestry Office	239 E Park Dr, Grygla, 56727	Staffed Checkstation
101, 201, 260, 263, 268	Thief Lake WMA	DNR Wildlife Office	42280 240th Ave NE, Middle River, 56737	Staffed Checkstation
101, 201, 260, 263, 268	Wannaska	DNR Forestry Office	16945 Hwy 89, Wannaska, 56761	Staffed Checkstation
101, 201, 260, 263, 268	Middle River	Cenex	110 Mc Kenzie Ave, Middle River, 56737	Self Service
101, 201, 260, 263, 268	Skime	Olson-Skime Store	10432 County Rd 9, Wannaska, 56761	Self Service
233, 255, 293, 341, 342	Austin	Jay C. Hormel Nature Center	1304 21st St NE, Austin, 55912	Staffed Checkstation
233, 255, 293, 341, 342	Blooming Prairie	Miner's Outdoor & Rec	635 6th St SE, Blooming Prairie, 55917	Staffed Checkstation
233, 255, 293, 341, 342	Goodhue	USDA/SWCD Building	104 E 3rd Ave, Goodhue, 55027	Staffed Checkstation
233, 255, 293, 341, 342	Lake City	DNR Office	1801 S Oak St, Lake City, 55041	Staffed Checkstation
233, 255, 293, 341, 342	Owatonna	DNR Rice Lake State Park	8485 Rose St, Owatonna, 55060	Staffed Checkstation
233, 255, 293, 341, 342	Red Wing	4 Seasons Sports	2301 Old W Main St, Red Wing, 55066	Staffed Checkstation
233, 255, 293, 341, 342	Wabasha	Wabasha County Fairgrounds	99 Coulee Way, Wabasha,, 55981	Staffed Checkstation
233, 255, 293, 341, 342	Zumbro Falls	Zumbro Falls City Park, SE of Main St off Railroad St	387 Water St, Zumbro Falls, 55991	Staffed Checkstation

CWD

White-tailed deer