CWD hunt scheduled in southeast
A special hunt to help limit the spread of chronic wasting disease in wild deer is scheduled during two weekends in December. The hunt is one step DNR is taking to contain CWD in southeast Minnesota.
Mandatory testing
Testing areas details
Test results
- Is your test in? Type in your DNR number and check for results.
- During current and upcoming 2018 deer seasons, animals that test positive for CWD will be reported on the results page. DNR will directly notify any hunter who harvests a deer that tests positive.
Videos to help hunters
View our how-to videos for instructions on how to quarter a deer, how to cape a trophy deer and how to remove lymph nodes for your own CWD test.
Share the harvest
Hunters can donate deer and people can sign up to receive donated venison through a harvest sharing partnership in southeast Minnesota with the Blufflands Whitetails Association. To participate, hunters simply need to bring their field-dressed deer to the Preston Forestry office. People who would like to receive donated venison can add their name to the first-come, first-served donation list.
- Current deer feeding and attractants bans
The deer feeding and attractants ban has expanded and now includes Wabasha County. For definitions of feed, attractants and where the bans are currently in place, visit the feeding and attractant bans page for more information.
- 2017 sampling results
Fall 2017 mandatory CWD surveillance
Surveillance area Total samples collected Positive North-central 7,945 0 Central 2,623 0 Southeast
(excluding DPA 603)1,341 0 CWD Management Zone (DPA 603) surveillance
Surveillance effort Total samples collected Positive Fall Hunting Seasons (Sept. 16- Dec. 31, 2017) 1,185 6 Late Hunt (Jan. 6-14, 2018) 275 0 Landowner Shooting Permits (Feb. 10 - Mar. 10, 2018) 19 0 For more information about CWD in Minnesota, including a map of known positives, please visit the About page.
- Southeast deer movement study
During March 2018, DNR used a helicopter company to live-capture deer in southeast Minnesota. These deer were equipped with GPS collars to track movements, particularly those of juvenile deer leaving their natal home ranges. This information will help us understand movements and potential spread of CWD in this area.
Collared and ear-tagged deer are not protected and any hunter may harvest them during a hunting season. If you do harvest a collared or ear-tagged deer, please notify DNR by calling 507-380-1858. If you capture any pictures of a collared deer and are willing to share, please email them to [email protected].
For more information about this project, please visit the southeast deer movement study page.