Deer carcass movement restrictions are in place for 14 deer permit areas located in southeastern and north-central Minnesota and the south metro area. Deer permit areas 604, 605, 642, 643, 644, 645, 646, 647, 648, 649, 655, 661, 679 and 684 together form the chronic wasting disease management zone. Hunters are not allowed to take whole deer carcasses outside the management zone until a “not detected” test result is received. The restrictions apply to all deer, including fawns. Hunters are allowed to move whole deer carcasses in between contiguous disease management zone DPAs.
In these DPAs, sampling is mandatory opening weekend of firearms season. If hunters harvest a deer before or after the opening weekend of firearms season and choose not to submit a sample from their deer or want to transport a deer outside the CWD management zone before getting a test result, they must debone or quarter their deer, properly disposing of the head and spinal column inside the zone. Meat and quarters with the main leg bone can leave the zone immediately. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources provides dumpsters for hunters to use to help facilitate carcass disposal.
Hunters who harvest a deer within Minnesota’s CWD management zones are allowed to take intact heads from deer with or without the cape and neck attached outside of the CWD management zone if they are delivered to a licensed taxidermist within 48 hours of leaving the management zone.
Carcass movement restrictions are part of a comprehensive strategy to keep Minnesota’s deer, elk and moose healthy by limiting the spread of disease. Hunters can find details for the DPA in which they hunt, including locations of dumpsters for carcass disposal, by visiting the Minnesota DNR’s CWD webpage (mndnr.gov/cwd) and using the “find the requirements for your DPA” tool.
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