The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has removed deer feeding or feeding and attractant bans in 24 counties to focus restrictions on areas where risk of chronic wasting disease spread is of greatest concern.

“The DNR uses feeding and attractant bans as a tool to reduce unnatural crowding of deer and reduce the risk of exposure to CWD,” said Todd Froberg, big game program coordinator. “We are using these tools where we think they will provide the greatest potential to benefit the health of Minnesota’s white-tailed deer. This approach limits CWD risk and helps reinforce the connection feeding and using attractants have on the risk of spreading disease.”

Deer feeding, or feeding and attractant bans, will remain in place for 23 counties. A summary of the changes:

• Feeding or feeding and attractant bans have been removed from the following counties: Aitkin, Carlton, Chisago, Clearwater, Douglas, Freeborn, Isanti, Kanabec, Koochiching, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen, Marshall, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Pennington, Pine, Pope, Ramsey, Red Lake, Roseau, Stearns, Steele, Todd and Wadena counties.
• Feeding and attractant bans are in effect for the following counties: Beltrami (new), Carver (new), Cass, Crow Wing, Dakota, Dodge, Fillmore, Goodhue, Hennepin, Houston, Hubbard, Itasca (new), Le Sueur (new), Mower, Norman, Olmsted, Polk, Rice, Scott, Sibley (new), Wabasha, Washington and Winona counties.

For a list and map of counties affected by feeding and attractant bans, visit the DNR website (mndnr.gov/cwd/feedban.html).

The changes to counties affected by feeding bans reflect DNR’s commitment to an adaptive CWD management strategy.

The DNR does not encourage the public to feed deer. Residents interested in helping deer, especially during severe winter conditions, should focus efforts on improving habitat during the growing season to provide long-term food resources and shelter that deer can reliably find year-after-year.

For more information on how to improve private land for the benefit of deer and other wildlife, visit the DNR website (mndnr.gov/privatelandhabitat).