General information for all permit areas
These deer permit areas border one or more deer permit areas designated as a management zone, where CWD in wild deer persists or a slight spread has been documented. Control zones provide buffers that help prevent further disease spread.
CWD control zones
| DPA | Sampling | Interactive map | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 255 | Required |  | |
| 343 | Required | ||
| 344 | Required | ||
Hunting information
- Testing required
CWD sampling is mandatory for all deer, 1 year of age or older, harvested in these deer permit areas for the opening weekend of both the firearms A (Nov.6-7) and B (Nov. 20-21) seasons.
CWD sampling stations, either staffed or self-service, will be available during these weekends.
- Hunters must bring any harvested adult deer (1 year or older) to a sampling station during that opening weekend.
- Staffed sampling stations are open from 9 a.m.-7 p.m.
- Self-service sampling stations are open through Monday, Nov. 8, and Monday, Nov. 22.
- Deer must be registered before sampling.
- You will need to provide the township, range and section of your harvest location. Maps are provided at each station, but hunters are encouraged to have this information for their location of harvest prior to arriving.
Outside of opening weekend, hunters who harvest a deer from this area may have their deer tested by voluntarily submitting the head at any of the self-service sampling stations in the zone.
The time it takes to receive CWD test results will vary depending on the number of samples collected. Process your deer as you normally would. Keep processed deer separate and identifiable until test results are received.
Test results for all deer that are sampled will be available online at mndnr.gov/cwdcheck.
Know the township, range and section of your harvest
You will need to provide the township, range and section of the location where you harvested your deer.
Maps are provided at each station but hunters are encouraged to have this information for their location of harvest prior to arriving by using a cell phone or GPS device.
The DNR's recreation compass allows you to lookup the township, range and section (PLS). Simply display the satellite imagery and click the harvest location on the map.
To see how, click the image at right. You can do this anywhere; you do not need to be at the location of your harvest.
- What can I harvest?
- Bag limit designations vary by DPA.
- Hunters must use either a Statewide (A) or a Late Southeast (B) license for the respective firearms season.
- Hunters may harvest only one buck per hunter per year.
- Bonus tags may be used for antlerless deer during any deer season. Bonus permits are valid in DPA 343 only during the early antlerless season.
- Antler point restrictions (APR) are canceled in this zone.
- Cross-tagging for antlered bucks is allowed in this zone.
- Is this area affected by carcass movement restrictions?
Yes. You cannot take the carcass out of this permit area or immediately adjacent areas designated as CWD management zones until you receive a "not detected" test result.
Use our make a plan tool to properly prepare the meat for legal removal and transport prior to receiving a test result.
Review the complete deer carcass movement restrictions, which apply during all seasons for all deer, including fawns.
Sampling locations
Staffed sampling stations are open from 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Self-service sampling stations are open through Monday, Nov. 8, and Monday, Nov. 22.
Self-service sampling stations will have an orange "CWD Sampling Station" sign and black barrel. Watch this video to see how to use a sampling station.
Hunters in a designated control zone also may use sampling stations in the following DPAs: 643, 645, 646, 647, 648, 649, 655.
- DPAs 255, 343, 344
Self-service stations remain available through Monday, Nov. 8, and Monday, Nov. 22. View map City Location Address Mandatory:
Firearms A
(Nov. 6-7)Mandatory:
Firearms B
(Nov. 20-21)Voluntary:
All other
season datesAltura Whitewater WMA Wildlife Office 15035 Highway 74 Staffed Self-service Self-service Austin Jay C. Hormel Nature Center 1304 21st St. NE Staffed Self-service Self-service Pine Island Vacant lot, next to Dollar General and at the intersection of First Ave. NE and County Road 11/Center Drive 222 Center Drive Staffed Self-service Self-service Plainview Kreofsky Do It Best Building 865 Enterprise Drive SW Staffed Self-service Self-service
What do I do with my carcass after sampling?
Deer carcasses must be disposed of properly to meet deer carcass movement restrictions.
To help hunters comply with these legal carcass movement restrictions, the DNR set up dumpsters where hunters can dispose of carcasses (head and spinal column) after quartering or butchering so they can leave the CWD areas immediately. Not all locations may be fully equipped as shown below.
Dumpsters for carcass disposal
The following shows current disposal locations. Locations may change. Please check regularly for up-to-date information.
- DPAs 255, 343, 344
City Location Address Dates available Quartering station Altura Whitewater WMA Wildlife Office 15035 Highway 74 11/4/2021-11/30/2021 Yes Austin Jay C. Hormel Nature Center 1304 21st St. NE 11/4/2021-11/16/2021 Yes Pine Island City brush dump site; next to Dollar General and at the intersection of 1st Ave. NE and County Road 11/Center Drive 222 Center Drive 11/4/2021-11/30/2021 Yes Plainview Kreofsky Do It Best Building Supply 865 Enterprise Drive SW 11/4/2021-11/30/2021 Yes
Information for sampling trophy deer
If you want to have your trophy deer caped or mounted, the following partners can collect the lymph node samples and deliver them to the DNR for voluntary testing. Taxidermists may charge a fee to cape out your deer prior to extracting the samples. Please contact them ahead of time to schedule an appointment or make sure they are available.
Using a partner for sampling will result in a longer turnaround time for your CWD test results.
Hunters in this control zone may also use may use the partners in the following DPAs: 643, 645, 646, 647, 648, 649, 655.
- DPAs 255, 343, 344
Slide text left for complete information