DNR mandates chronic wasting testing for certain permit zones

This deer hunting season, deer harvested in four separate parts of Minnesota will need to be brought to the Department of Natural Resources so they can be tested for chronic wasting disease.

Deer taken from the central surveillance area (west of the Metro), the north-central management zone (northwest of Mille Lacs Lake), the southeast management zone (south of Winona), and the southeast control zone (south and west of Winona) must be submitted for sampling during the opening week of firearms deer hunting season Nov. 9 and 10. A map of the testing areas can be found here

Deer taken from both the north-central and southeast management zones must also be submitted during the opening weekend of the B firearms season, Nov. 23 and 24.

The testing is designed to limit the spread of CWD.

“Protecting our white-tailed deer population is a shared responsibility, and we’re thankful for hunters who help combat CWD by submitting samples,” said Michelle Carstensen, wildlife health program supervisor said in a news release. “These samples provide data that help us better understand the prevalence of the disease in wild deer in these areas.”

The DNR put instruction about how to submit a sample on their website. Hunters can check their test results online here.