Due to the regular amending of regulations in Minnesota, it is recommended that before hunting you check these CWD regulations, as well as those of any other states or provinces in which you will be hunting or traveling through while transporting cervid carcasses. The contact information for Minnesota can be seen below:
Last update was October 2021
Click a section to expand:
MN Board of Animal Health regulates all captive deer, elk, and other cervids. Contact:
Dr. Linda GlaserMinnesota Department of Natural Resources
Standard Regulations
Farmed cervid imports must have official ID and ID written on CVI. No brucellosis test required. Animal must be from TB accredited herd or herd with negative whole herd test in last year and test on individual animal within 90 days prior to movement.
CWD Regulations for Captive Cervids and Wildlife
Captive cervids can only be possessed in herds registered with the MN Board of Animal Health. CWD surveillance is mandatory for captive cervids that die. Additionally, laws regulate fencing, escapes, animal transfers, importation, animal identification, and herd inventories. There have been 12 captive cervid farms detected with CWD in MN since 2002. Animals may Not be imported from a CWD endemic area (defined as counties where CWD infected wild cervids are found). Imported animals must be from a herd with CWD Status level 6.
New CWD Regulations in Development
CWD was confirmed in two captive faciliites, one during the fall of 2020 (within the already established Southeast CWD management zone) and spring 2021 in a new area. Following the response plan this will lead to one additional CWD suveillance zone in and around Beltrami County. Recreational deer feeding bans will be expanded to include Beltrami County and adjacent counites.
CWD Testing Program For Captive Cervids
Mandatory testing for all captive cervids.
CWD Testing Program For Wildlife
Over 95,000 hunter-harvested CWD samples have been collected statewide since 2002. In accordance to the CWD response plan, surveillance is conducted based on risk. The main source of sample collection is through sampling of hunter-harvested deer within our CWD management, control, and surveillance zones. Samples are also collected through taxidermist programs in areas where risk is present. For all management and control zones there are carcass movement restrictions in place for hunters to follow, unless they have a not detected test result for their deer. Targeted culling efforts directed through the agency occur from January to April with focused areas wtihin 2-3 miles of known positive deer. Opportunistic samples are collected statewide from cervids reported to be exhibiting clinical symptoms of CWD. Since 2011, CWD has been confirmed in 115 free-ranging white-tailed deer.
Baiting Banned?
No baiting allowed.
Feeding Banned?
MN DNR obtained legal authority in 2003 to ban feeding of deer to control CWD. Currently there are 32 counties that have a feeding ban in place. Of those 32. 24 counties that surround the CWD management zones have an additional ban on the use of attractants. The remaining 8 counties surrounding CWD positive deer farms impose a ban on feeding only.
Ban On Movement of Animal Parts?
Importation of whole cervid carcasses into the state from anywhere outside of Minnesota's borders is banned. Only the following portions of hunter-harvested cervidae carcasses may be brought into the state: cut and wrapped meat; quarters or other portions of meat with no part of the spinal column or head attached; antlers, hides, or teeth; finished taxidermy mounts; and antlers attached to skull caps that are cleaned of all brain tissue. Within a CWD management or control zones, whole carcass can not leave the zone until a not detected test result is reported. Only the following items can leave the CWD management or control zones prior to a test result: cut and wrapped meat; quarters or other portions of meat with no part of the spinal column or head attached; antlers, hides, or teeth; finished taxidermy mounts; and antlers attached to skull caps that are cleaned of all brain tissue.
CWD Found in Captive Cervids?
Yes
CWD Found In Free Ranging Cervids?
Yes