ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) plans two special deer hunts in December aimed at limiting the spread of chronic wasting disease in wild deer in southeastern Minnesota.
Those hunts, announced by the DNR on Tuesday, will take place in specific deer permit areas south of Interstate 90. Both residents and nonresidents can take part in the hunts from Dec. 21 to Dec. 23 and from Dec. 28 to Dec. 30.
The agency says it's acting quickly to contain chronic wasting disease while it is concentrated in one geographic area. Reducing deer numbers will help lower densities and remove infected animals from southeastern Minnesota.
"Everybody wants to know, 'How many do you need to kill?' There isn't an answer. We need to kill as many deer as we can off the properties that have disease," said Lou Cornicelli, wildlife research manager for the Minnesota DNR.
The majority of this special hunt area is private land. Landowner permission is required to hunt. DNR's authorization of these special hunts does not create open access to private land. Most public land in the area is open to hunting during the special hunts so those areas may be crowded. Use recreation compass to locate public land.
The Cherry Grove Blind Valley Scientific and Natural Area, which adjoins the Cherry Grove Wildlife Management Area, will be open to deer hunting. No special permit will be required.
To avoid overcrowding, permits will be required to hunt in Forestville State Park and Pin Oak Prairie Scientific and Natural Area. DNR will issue permits on a first-come, first-served basis starting at noon on Wednesday, Dec. 5. These free permits will be available online and wherever DNR licenses are sold.
The DNR will host a public information meeting on Dec. 18 to give information about CWD and the DNR's plan. It will take place from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the Fillmore Central School Auditorium in Preston.
Hunters should check the DNR's website for details about the hunts and the permitting process.
Since 2016, 28 deer have tested positive for the fatal neurological disease. This season there were 11 confirmed cases—two of them just outside the disease management zone in Fillmore County.
Cornicelli said while the DNR caught CWD early, it's spreading and eliminating the disease from the state now seems unlikely.
"Our hope and plan was to try and eliminate this disease from the landscape by catching it early. That appears not to be the case. I think our hope now is, can we keep the infection contained and really put a dent in it over this winter," Cornicelli said.
CWD causes brain lesions in deer, elk and moose. There is no evidence CWD infects or impacts humans but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still warns people against eating meat from animals known to have CWD.