Disease hunts are an important tool in disease management, helping limit the disease spread and showing where disease is more prevalent through CWD testing of harvested deer.
Hunt areas for 2021 include deer permit designated as a CWD management zone. Permit areas 261 and 262 along the Minnesota-North Dakota border have been added to better gauge the potential extent of CWD.
- When & where
- What you need to know
Valid license: A hunter may use any unfilled archery, firearms, muzzleloader or landowner deer hunting license. Unfilled bonus permits and early antlerless permits also may be used. The hunting method used must match the hunter’s deer license. Only during these hunts, hunters may purchase low-cost disease management permits without first purchasing a parent license to participate.
Places to hunt: Hunters must respect private lands. Find information on trespass law in the hunting regulations booklet. Wildlife management areas and other public lands that are normally open to deer hunting within designated permit areas are open to hunting during these hunts. View the special public land access information below to hunt some areas that are normally closed to hunting.
Bag limit: There are no restrictions on the number of deer – antlerless or antlered – that a hunter may take. Unlike other hunts, disease management permits may be used to tag both antlered and antlerless deer. Bonus permits and early antlerless tags can only be used to tag antlerless deer.
Carcass movement restrictions: These restrictions apply during these hunts in all areas except the northwest hunts along the Minnesota-North Dakota border in permit areas 261 and 262. Hunters there are encouraged to not move whole carcasses from either area. View complete details on carcass movement restrictions and what hunters can do to comply.
CWD sampling: CWD sampling is mandatory for both hunts. Harvested deer must be taken to a staffed or self-service station. Staffed sampling stations will be open 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays during the hunts. Stations also will be open from 9 a.m. - noon on the Monday following each hunt. Locations of staffed and self-service stations will be posted here when available.
- Special public land access
Some public lands where deer hunting is not normally allowed will be opened to hunting. Permits to hunt are required in some of these areas to limit the number of hunters. These permits will be available from any DNR license vendor or online on a first-come, first-served basis starting at noon on Friday, Dec. 3. Use the listed hunt number when selecting a permit.
Permits are available for both weekends but are only valid for the weekend specified. Hunters may only obtain one permit so they must choose which weekend they want to participate. Areas opened to hunting are listed below.
Cannon River Wilderness Park in Rice County added. 25 permits remain for the second weekend at Forestville.
Location Permit required Hunt dates Permits available Hunt number Hunt details Cannon River Wilderness Park Yes 12/31-1/2 50 810 Archery only Rushford Sand Barrens Scientific and Natural Area No N/A N/A N/A N/A Savage Fen SNA No N/A N/A N/A Archery only Cannon River Turtle Preserve SNA No N/A N/A N/A Only portions in permit area 605 are open Forestville Mystery Cave State Park Yes 12/17-19 75 801 N/A Forestville Mystery Cave State Park Yes 12/31-1/2 75 802 N/A Pin Oak Prairie SNA Yes 12/17-19 4 803 N/A Pin Oak Prairie SNA Yes 12/31-1/2 4 804 N/A Great River Bluffs State Park and King's and Queen's Bluff SNA Yes 12/17-19 50 805 N/A Great River Bluffs State Park and King's and Queen's Bluff SNA Yes 12/31-1/2 50 806 N/A Beaver Creek Valley State Park Yes 12/17-19 25 807 N/A Beaver Creek Valley State Park Yes 12/31-1/2 25 808 N/A Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area No N/A N/A N/A Archery only in the Carver Rapids unit Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge No N/A N/A N/A Archery only; special regulations must be followed Minnesota Valley Wetland Management District No N/A N/A N/A All waterfowl production areas within permit area 605; archery only; special regulations must be followed Vermillion Highlands WMA is closed to public hunting during both late-season hunts.
- Sampling stations
Click on the list containing the permit area you plan to hunt
- DPAs 261, 262
- Staffed stations open 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays during the hunts
- 9 a.m. - noon Mondays after the hunts
- Self-service stations remain available through the Monday after each hunt
View map City Location Address Status Ada MNDOT Truck Station 504 4th St. E Staffed Alvarado John's Repair 100 State Highway NW Staffed Climax Pete's One Stop 102 E Broadway Staffed Crookston Kustom Kollision 807 Marin Ave. Staffed East Grand Forks Cabela's 210 Demers Ave. NW Staffed Hendrum Nepstad Oil 133 Highway 75 N Staffed Moorhead Moorhead Police Department Gun Range 2210 15th Ave. N Staffed - DPA 343
Hunters in permit area 343 also may use sampling stations in the DPAs 643, 645, 646, 647, 648, 649, 655.
- Staffed stations open 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays during the hunts
- 9 a.m. - noon Mondays after the hunts
- Self-service stations remain available through the Monday after each hunt
View map City Location Address Status Altura Whitewater WMA Wildlife Office 15035 Highway 74 Self-service Austin Jay C. Hormel Nature Center 1304 21st St. NE 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 Self-service Plainview Kreofsky Do It Best Building 865 Enterprise Drive SW Self-service - DPA 605
- Staffed stations open 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays during the hunts
- 9 a.m. - noon Mondays after the hunts
- Self-service stations remain available through the Monday after each hunt
View map City Location Address Status Cannon Falls Lake Byllesby Goodhue County Park 5001 Highway 19 Boulevard Self-service Faribault Rice County Fairgrounds, enter off 2nd Ave. NW 1814 2nd Ave. NW Staffed Hastings Lake Rebecca Park, first left off Lock and Dam Road 415 Lock and Dam Road Self-service Kenyon Kenyon Meats 116 Spring St. Self-service Lonsdale Rice County Highway Dept. shop 110 5th Ave. NW Staffed Montgomery Edel's Meat Locker 124 1st St. N. Self-service New Market/Lakeville New Market Township Hall 8950 230th St. E, Lakeville Self-service New Prague Skluzacek's Quality Meats 400 Main St. W. Self-service Northfield Northfield Archery Range 10353 Hall Ave. Self-service Rosemount DNR Wildlife Office 15325 Babcock Ave. E. Self-service Shakopee USFWS parking lot — Wilkie unit 5981 County Road 101 Self-service - DPAs 643, 645, 646, 647, 648, 649, 655
- Staffed stations open 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays during the hunts
- 9 a.m. - noon Mondays after the hunts
- Self-service stations remain available through the Monday after each hunt
View map City Location Address Status Caledonia Houston County Fairgrounds 1316 E. Washington St. Self-service Chatfield Strongwell 1610 US-52 Self-service Chatfield Magnum Sports 20 Main St. S. Self-service Dexter Hamilton Auction Company 130 State Highway 16 Self-service Granger North of Granger near intersection of 120th St. and Kingbird Road (319) GPS: 43.529806, -92.158889 Self-service Houston BP Gas Station 801 MN-16 Self-service Kasson Hardware Hank 11 Fourth St. SE Self-service La Crescent La Crescent Joint Public Works Facility 450 S. Chestnut St. Staffed LeRoy Lake Louise State Park 12385 766th Ave. Self-service Mabel Steam Engine Days Park 90 E. Alpine Ave. Self-service Preston DNR Forestry Office 912 Houston St. NW Staffed Rochester DNR shop at Gordon Yeager WMA — Southwest Unit 2300 Silver Creek Road NE Staffed Rushford Pam's Corner Convenience 107 MN-16 Staffed Spring Valley City Lot across from Spring Valley Public Utilities 104 S. Section St. Self-service St. Charles Winona County Fairgrounds (behind A&W All American Foods) 518 W. 6th St. Self-service Stewartville Bear Cave Park 800 10th St. NW Self-service Wilson Wilson Truck and Trailer Repair 29622 County Road 12 Self-service Winona Fleet Farm 920 E. Highway 61 Staffed
- Special considerations in DPAs 261 & 262
Private land: There are limited public lands in the area. Since most of the land is private, hunters must first obtain landowner permission to hunt.
Minnesota hunters: In Minnesota, mandatory carcass movement restrictions are not in effect during these hunts but hunters are strongly encouraged not to move whole carcasses from either permit area. Instead, bone out or quarter the deer so that no part of the spinal column or head is transported outside of the DPA. Remains should be bagged and stored in an enclosed container until a negative test result is received. If the test result is postive, the DNR will pickup and dispose of carcass parts.
North Dakota hunters: High-risk carcass parts from deer harvested in Minnesota cannot be transported into North Dakota. Details for North Dakota’s carcass movement restrictions are available on the North Dakota Game & Fish website.
Carcass disposal: Hunters who process their own deer may not dispose of carcasses on public land, including wildlife management areas, state forests, road rights of way or in any water body. Deer carcasses may be disposed of in the following ways:
- On private land with the permission of the landowner;
- Through your refuse hauler after checking on how to properly bag the carcass; or
- At a local landfill.
If carcass parts are left on private land, hunters are encouraged to limit the potential spread of prions by bagging remains and storing in an enclosed container until a negative test result is received.
Attractant use discouraged: Hunters are encouraged not to use attractants and should be aware that attractant and feeding bans go into effect Thursday, Dec. 30.
