WARNING: Chronic Wasting Disease Now At Endemic Stage In Minnesota

Throughout the U.S., state officials do their best to manage wildlife populations as each state has its challenges.

In Minnesota, one threat that impacts the deer population is Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), a serious, fatal, and contagious neurological disease.

CWD is by no means exclusive to Minnesota. It has reportedly spread to more than half of the states in the continental United States and has been detected in two Canadian provinces and South Korea.

While Minnesota has been successful when compared to other states in keeping Chronic Wasting Disease numbers low in its deer population, the DNR is reporting that one area of the state is a concern because current management methods are no longer effective.

Chronic Wasting Disease Reaches An Endemic Stage In Part of Minnesota

Reaching an endemic stage means something is regularly occurring within an area or community. Unfortunately, that is what is happening with CWD in part of Minnesota.

The DNR says it will discontinue targeted culling in deer permit areas 646, 647, and 648, in the southeast corner of the state, because CWD has reached an endemic stage.

According to the DNR, targeted culling is a management tool to remove additional CWD-positive animals, focus on social groups related to infected individual deer, and locally reduce deer densities. The DNR culling strategy targets only deer within two miles of a CWD-positive female deer or group of males that have been detected in the last two years.

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However, when CWD prevalence reaches 5% or greater, the disease has reached a threshold where research shows culling is ineffective at reducing disease prevalence or controlling the spread.

At that time, the management strategy shifts its emphasis to other CWD management tools within the endemic zone while working to prevent the spread of the disease beyond these areas. This follows the DNR’s CWD surveillance and management plan, developed in 2019 and most recently updated in July 2024.

It's important to note that even though the DNR is not pursuing targeted culling as a management tool in these three endemic DPAs, local landowners and hunters can still help manage CWD in these areas by actively participating in opportunities to increase antlerless deer harvest, abiding by carcass movement restrictions, obeying feeding and attractant bans, and participating in additional hunting opportunities.

Wildlife Health Program Supervisor Michelle Carstensen says,  “There are still many opportunities in these DPAs and statewide for hunters and landowners to engage in the fight against CWD, including participating in liberalized hunting opportunities, getting deer tested for the disease, and following safe carcass disposal guidelines.”

CWD Detection Remains A Priority Throughout Minnesota

The DNR says that outside of the deer permit areas where CWD is now endemic, the DNR will continue to focus on early detection of new CWD cases through sampling efforts and employing aggressive actions to contain the spread, including culling where targeted operations are needed and effective.

Research shows that for targeted culling to be effective, landowner-granted access to deer is central to its success. The DNR encourages landowners to participate in the fight against CWD by allowing access to their land for culling operations.

You can get additional information on Chronic Wasting Disease through the button above.

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