Chronic Wasting Disease Laws in Minnesota: What Hunters and Landowners Must Know

Chronic wasting disease is one of the most serious wildlife health threats facing Minnesota’s deer herd, and the state has responded with a layered set of laws designed to slow its spread. CWD is a neurological disease affecting the cervid family — deer, elk, moose, reindeer, and caribou — and it causes characteristic spongy degeneration in the brain of an infected animal. There are no vaccines or treatments, and the disease is always fatal.

Whether you are a deer hunter, landowner, or deer farmer, Minnesota’s CWD regulations affect you directly. The rules govern where you can take a carcass, whether you can feed deer on your property, what testing you must complete after a harvest, and how captive cervid operations must be managed. Violating these rules carries real legal consequences, so understanding them before deer season — or before you make any decisions about your land — is essential.

This guide covers every major area of Minnesota’s CWD law, using the most current information available from the Minnesota DNR’s CWD program and related state sources. You can also review Minnesota’s broader hunting laws for additional context on how CWD rules fit into the state’s overall wildlife management framework.

CWD Status and Affected Areas in Minnesota

Since 2002, more than 120,000 wild deer have been tested for CWD in Minnesota, and the disease was first detected in wild deer in the state in 2010. Of those approximately 120,000 wild deer tested since 2002, just 217 have tested positive, mostly in the southeast part of the state. While those numbers are relatively low, state officials take the threat seriously because CWD is irreversible once established in a wild population.

The DNR conducts intense, concentrated surveillance in areas around known positives — both within captive cervid farms and near neighboring states’ borders — for a minimum of three years after an infection is discovered to ensure the disease has not transferred to wild deer in Minnesota. CWD has also been detected in deer and elk farms in the state.

Minnesota uses a zoning system to classify areas by their CWD risk level:

• CWD Management Zones — CWD has been found in wild deer in these areas, and multiple management actions designed to help mitigate disease spread are in place.
• CWD Surveillance Zones — CWD has been found in captive deer in this zone or in wild deer in an adjacent deer permit area or state, and the DNR is gathering information to determine if CWD has infected any wild deer in these deer permit areas. Some precautionary management actions are in place.

The current CWD management zone deer permit areas (DPAs) include: 601 (was 701), 604, 605, 642, 643, 644, 645, 646, 647, 648, 649, 655, 661, 671 (was 271), 666 (was 266), 679, and 684. These areas are concentrated in southeastern and north-central Minnesota. Because zone boundaries are subject to revision, you should confirm the current map on the DNR’s CWD management zones page before each hunting season.

Baiting and Feeding Restrictions in Minnesota

Minnesota law gives the DNR authority to ban deer feeding and the use of attractants in areas where CWD has been detected or where spread is a concern. To keep deer from concentrating where they otherwise would not and to reduce close contact that can spread the disease, in areas where CWD has been found in wild deer, the DNR bans recreational deer feeding, use of salt and mineral blocks, and the use of attractants.

As of the most recently available data from CWD-INFO.org, 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, while the remaining 8 counties surrounding CWD-positive deer farms impose a ban on feeding only. Because county-level bans are regularly updated, check the current list on the DNR website before placing any feed, minerals, or scent attractants on your property.

By concentrating deer on the landscape through artificial feeding, or by providing attractants such as salt licks, humans can increase the likelihood of both direct and indirect contact between healthy and potentially infected animals. This is why the bans extend beyond just the core CWD zones into surrounding counties.

The use of deer carcasses or parts as bait for trapping remains legal within applicable laws. However, the unlawful deposit of carcasses not associated with legal baiting or field dressing constitutes litter under Minnesota law. If you are unsure whether your practices are permitted, the wildlife removal laws in Minnesota page provides additional context on lawful use of animal remains.

Carcass Transportation Rules in Minnesota

Minnesota maintains some of the most detailed carcass movement restrictions in the country, applying both to deer harvested within the state and to cervids brought in from other states or provinces. These rules limit the spread of CWD to new areas in Minnesota, as the disease can be spread by hunters moving infected deer carcasses.

Importing Cervid Carcasses Into Minnesota

It is illegal to import whole deer, elk, moose, and caribou carcasses into Minnesota, and this prohibition applies to all U.S. states, Canadian provinces, or other areas, regardless of their CWD status. Only the following parts of deer or other cervids may be brought into Minnesota: quarters or other portions of meat with no part of the spinal column or head attached; meat that is boned out or that is cut and wrapped (either commercially or privately); hides and teeth; antlers or clean skull plates with antlers attached; and finished taxidermy mounts.

Heads from cervids with or without the cape and neck attached that originate from outside Minnesota may be transported into the state only if they are delivered to a licensed Minnesota taxidermist within 48 hours of entering the state. Non-residents transporting whole or partial carcasses on a direct route through Minnesota are exempt from this restriction.

Moving Deer Within CWD Management Zones

In areas where CWD has been detected, regulations require whole carcasses of deer, including fawns, to stay within specified zones until a “not detected” CWD test result is received. Whole carcasses can move freely between deer permit areas that are adjacent to one another, such as 601 and 605, or between deer permit areas 642, 643, 644, 645, 646, 647, 648, 649, and 655.

The following parts may leave a CWD management zone before a test result is confirmed:

• Quarters or other portions of meat with no part of the spinal column or head attached; the main leg bone can remain in each quarter
• Meat that is boned out or that is cut and wrapped (either commercially or privately)
• Hides and teeth; antlers or clean (no brain tissue attached) skull plates with antlers attached
• Heads from cervids with or without the cape and neck attached that are taken inside a CWD management zone may be transported outside of the CWD management zone only if they are delivered to a licensed Minnesota taxidermist within 48 hours of leaving the management zone

Deer carcasses cannot be left on public land, including wildlife management areas, state forests, road rights-of-way, or in any water body. Dumpsters for proper carcass disposal are available in CWD management zones, and some of these dumpsters have quartering stations so hunters can immediately transport meat from untested deer out of the CWD management zone.

CWD Testing Requirements for Hunters in Minnesota

Mandatory CWD testing applies to hunters who harvest deer in designated CWD zones during specific seasons. Understanding when testing is required — and how to complete it — is a critical compliance step for anyone hunting in affected areas. You can find related licensing and season information on the Minnesota hunting laws page.

When Testing Is Mandatory

CWD sampling is mandatory for all deer one year and older that are harvested on the opening weekend (Saturday, Nov. 8, to Sunday, Nov. 9) of the statewide firearms deer season in DPAs designated as a CWD zone. This sampling requirement applies to all DPAs designated as CWD management or surveillance zones and must be completed within 24 hours of harvest, unless a hunter uses a mail-in kit, which must be obtained prior to Saturday, Nov. 8, and the resulting sample postmarked within 72 hours of harvest.

Deer must be registered before sampling. At a staffed or self-service sampling station, you will need to provide your Public Land Survey (PLS) number or GPS coordinates so the DNR can record the exact location of your harvest.

Sampling Options

Several options are available to complete the mandatory sampling requirement:

1. Staffed sampling stations are open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 8, through Sunday, Nov. 9. Staffed sampling stations will also be open from 9 a.m. to noon on Monday, Nov. 10, to allow hunters who harvest a deer late in the evening Sunday, Nov. 9, the ability to submit a sample.
2. Self-service sampling stations are available Nov. 8–10 within CWD management zones.
3. Mail-in kits, available while supplies last or from unused kits from previous years.
4. Minnesota taxidermists and other partners participating in the partner sampling program.

Voluntary Testing Outside the Mandatory Period

Voluntary testing is available to hunters even if it is not required for their DPA. You can make an appointment at a local DNR wildlife management area office within the CWD management zone in which you harvested your deer. The DNR encourages voluntary testing because it improves statewide surveillance data.

All deer that are tested should either be processed or stored in a manner to prevent wanton waste while waiting for test results. It is the hunter’s choice to consume venison prior to receiving test results. The prions that cause CWD are very resistant to heat and freezing temperatures, and cooking or freezing the meat will not remove prions from any infected meat. Currently, there is no evidence that CWD poses a risk for humans; however, public health officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that hunters do not consume meat from animals known to be infected.

Captive Cervid and Deer Farming Rules in Minnesota

Captive deer farming is one of the most heavily regulated areas of Minnesota’s CWD framework. In Minnesota, farmed cervids are classified as livestock, and the DNR regulates captive white-tailed deer. Responsibility for all other farmed cervids, including elk, falls to the Minnesota Board of Animal Health.

The DNR administers and enforces statutes and rules governing the more than 100 registered white-tailed deer farms in the state. This dual-agency structure has been a defining feature of Minnesota’s captive cervid oversight since the Legislature granted co-authority to the DNR and the Board of Animal Health in 2021.

Fencing Requirements

Effective September 1, 2024, state law requires farmed cervidae to be confined in a manner that prevents physical contact between farmed and wild cervidae. The DNR has outlined several fencing options for deer farmers to comply with the law, including double fencing with 48 inches of separation and electrified fences. Current law requires farmed deer to be confined with perimeter fences at least 96 inches tall, constructed and maintained to prevent contact between captive and free-roaming animals.

The 2025 law introduced a “Notice of Violation” (NOV) process to ensure compliance. If a deficiency is found, farmers have a strict 14-day repair window. If a defect allows for the possibility of entry or escape, it must be fixed immediately.

Testing, Reporting, and Movement of Captive Deer

The DNR has called for rapid detection of CWD within captive herds, timely slaughter of herds when they become infected, faster deadlines for herd owners to report deer deaths, and faster deadlines to test the remains. The DNR also recommended that movement restrictions be placed on any herd if the operator fails to test all dead deer for the disease.

Farms are prohibited from buying deer or deer semen from any state or Canadian province where CWD has been detected. Farm owners are also liable for any cleanup and monitoring costs from escaped deer that could spread CWD to the wild.

If a tagged farmed animal escapes and is recovered by a hunter, the hunter must notify the DNR within 24 hours of possessing the escaped tagged animal. If the animal is killed by the hunter or the DNR, the DNR is responsible for CWD testing the animal.

Reporting Sick or Suspected Deer in Minnesota

Early detection of CWD depends heavily on hunters and landowners reporting deer that appear sick or abnormal. It may take over a year before an infected deer develops symptoms, which can include drastic weight loss (wasting), stumbling, inactivity, and loss of fear of humans. Specifically, deer become thin, drink and urinate excessively, have poor balance and coordination, lack body fat, have drooping ears, and difficulty swallowing.

Throughout most of the infection period, the deer appears to be healthy but is continually spreading the disease. This means that most CWD-positive deer you encounter in the field will look completely normal, making surveillance testing even more important than visual identification.

How to Report a Sick Deer

If you observe a deer exhibiting signs of illness, please immediately report it to your local conservation officer or area wildlife office. The DNR uses these reports to target surveillance efforts and determine whether additional management actions are needed in a given area.

Opportunistic samples are collected statewide from cervids reported to be exhibiting clinical symptoms of CWD. When you report a sick deer, DNR staff may ask you to provide a location, a description of the animal’s behavior, and whether the deer is still alive or has died.

If you come across a vehicle-killed deer in a CWD management zone, make an appointment with a local DNR wildlife office to get the deer sampled. These offices can be found on the DNR’s office locator webpage. Call the office ahead of time to make an appointment to ensure a DNR staff member is available to help.

Reporting sick deer is also relevant to understanding your broader obligations under Minnesota animal laws. If you deal with wildlife on your property, the wildlife removal laws in Minnesota page explains what you can and cannot do when encountering sick or injured animals. For those with livestock concerns, Minnesota’s brucellosis laws offer a useful parallel on how the state regulates animal disease reporting for farmed animals.

Penalties for CWD Violations in Minnesota

Minnesota enforces its CWD regulations through a combination of criminal penalties under the natural resources statutes and administrative enforcement actions targeting deer farm operators. The consequences range from fines and license revocations to farm depopulation orders.

Criminal Penalties for Hunters and the Public

Violations of Minnesota’s CWD rules — such as illegally importing a whole cervid carcass, transporting a whole deer out of a CWD management zone before receiving a “not detected” result, or violating a feeding or attractant ban — are treated as natural resources violations under Minnesota Statutes. Most deer-related natural resources violations in Minnesota are classified as misdemeanors or gross misdemeanors, which can carry fines ranging from several hundred to several thousand dollars, along with potential loss of hunting licenses. Because specific fine amounts under CWD statutes are subject to legislative revision, verify current penalty schedules with the Minnesota DNR or a licensed attorney before the season.

Administrative Penalties for Deer Farm Operators

The 2025 law introduced the Notice of Violation (NOV) process as an administrative enforcement tool. If a deficiency is found, farmers have a strict 14-day repair window, and if a defect allows for the possibility of entry or escape, it must be fixed immediately.

A farmer’s refusal to comply with fencing mandates can trigger the registration revocation process — effectively the “death penalty” for a deer farm. The Board of Animal Health retains authority to revoke a farm’s registration to possess live deer and to remove or destroy the animals if a farm experiences more than one escape in a six-month period or fails to correct identified deficiencies within the required timeframe.

Recommendations from the DNR include sanctions against deer farmers who fail to report deer deaths, no importing of captive deer from states where CWD has been detected, and pressure on deer farmers to quickly exit the business if the disease shows up in their herd.

Understanding the penalty structure for CWD violations sits alongside other animal-related legal obligations in Minnesota. Hunters and landowners may also want to review roadkill laws in Minnesota for rules on possessing deer killed by vehicles, and bow hunting laws in Minnesota for season-specific compliance requirements that overlap with CWD zone rules.

Consequences at a Glance

Minnesota’s CWD laws are among the most comprehensive in the country, and they are actively enforced. 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. Staying current with the DNR’s annual updates is the single most reliable way to remain in compliance and protect both your hunting privileges and Minnesota’s deer herd.