ST. PAUL — To help identify and track chronic wasting disease cases in deer across the state, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources now requires hunters to submit test samples during the opening weekend of firearms season.
“We did a statewide rotation back in the early 2000s, but we haven’t done one since,” said Patrick Hagen, DNR wildlife disease response coordinator. “We’ve had some new positives come up, … and not having done it for a while, we decided it was time for another rotation around the state.”
On Nov. 7-8, hunters in southwest Minnesota must submit samples from harvested deer that are registered and at least 1 year old. DNR staff will be available at various sampling locations in Marshall, Worthington, Pipestone, Redwood Falls and other cities to assist. Hunters can also visit self-service stations to drop off deer heads.
The mandate is part of a four-year surveillance plan in which one of four regions in the state is tested each year. This new initiative focuses on specific deer permit areas, moving clockwise each year, with the southwest region beginning in 2026, followed by the northwest in 2027, the northeast in 2028 and the southeast in 2029.
“Once we get done with this rotation, it’s going to tell us where CWD is, if it’s out there or, importantly, where it’s not — and how that plan maybe needs to adjust to the landscape in Minnesota,” Hagen said.
Throughout the state, over 165,000 deer have been tested for CWD since 2002, with the first positive case detected in 2010. CWD is a fatal, contagious illness that can impact deer, elk, moose and reindeer. It is caused by a prion, an abnormal protein in the body, that affects the brain and nervous system. The disease can be spread indirectly through the environment and directly by body fluids like saliva and blood.
CWD is slow-developing, and visible symptoms can take months or years to appear. Even without signs, the disease can continue to spread, increasing its prevalence and threatening local deer populations. Symptoms can include weight loss, drooling, stumbling, appearing “out of it” and not being afraid of humans. Hagen said anyone who suspects a deer or carcass has CWD should report it immediately to their local wildlife management area office.
“With a positive case, it typically means reducing deer densities if it’s a high-density area,” he said. “Having more opportunities for hunters to harvest deer is usually how we reduce those.”
Hunters can get deer sampled through other ways as well, such as meeting with professional taxidermists and processors participating in the partner sampling program. They can also use mail-in kits, which include removing the deer’s lymph nodes and sending the sample to a lab.
Once samples are collected from opening weekend, they will then be shipped to a lab, with results taking around seven to 14 days. Hagen said hunters can check results on the DNR website, or, if a deer tests positive, staff will directly contact hunters to provide information and next steps.
Outside designated surveillance areas, CWD testing remains voluntary. Hunters in regions where testing was previously required will not have to submit samples this year. Those who wish to voluntarily test their deer can use mail-in kits or schedule an appointment at a nearby DNR office.
Additionally, the DNR has removed carcass movement restrictions for deer harvested in CWD management zones. Now, hunters may move carcasses inside or outside of management zones as long as they properly dispose of them through a refuse hauler, local landfill, meat processor or on the private property where the deer was harvested, with landowner permission.
“We had a dumpster program in place previously that was getting harder to implement,” Hagen said. “Hunters didn’t have many options, so we wanted to still keep up that management of making sure that we’re not spreading the disease through movements of carcasses.”
To prepare for the upcoming firearms season, Hagen recommends hunters plan ahead, identify their sampling station and have their DNR number ready. They should also purchase licenses early and review current hunting regulations.
“Make sure you know which deer is yours if you have multiple in a vehicle and have information handy,” Hagen said. “It’s also nice to have hunters position the deer (at sampling stations), so we have access to the head and neck.”
Through this project, the new testing requirements will help the DNR better understand how common the disease is in certain areas and how to best manage it, Hagen said.
The data collected could be used further if CWD is found to impact humans. At this time, there have been no officially reported cases, but scientists are still conducting research to see if it could be possible. Despite the low risks, the DNR recommends individuals avoid consuming meat from deer or other animals known to be infected with CWD.
“As an agency, we can’t fight this disease by ourselves,” Hagen said. “We need our hunters. They’re a big part of the surveillance of this disease to know where it is on the landscape but also a part of the management.”
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