DNR to host public meeting on CWD in Grand Rapids area Aug. 23

RELEASE FROM MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES:

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is inviting hunters and anyone interested in deer to a public information meeting to discuss chronic wasting disease in the Grand Rapids area (permit area 679, formerly DPA 179).

The meeting is 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 23, in the Chukar Auditorium at the Minnesota North College (formerly Itasca Community College), 1851 East Highway 169 in Grand Rapids.

During the meeting, DNR staff with the wildlife health and big game programs will share information about hunting regulation changes and CWD management in the Grand Rapids area and answer questions. As an alternative to attending the meeting in-person, people can register to attend the presentation virtually via Webex and virtual participation options are available on the DNR website (mndnr.gov/CWD).

In March 2022, the DNR confirmed the first case of CWD in the Grand Rapids area (in what was deer permit area 179). This was in a wild deer found dead within the city limits of Grand Rapids. Culling efforts to reduce high urban deer densities in the southwest quadrant of town resulted in an additional positive deer. The two confirmed cases of CWD in wild deer prompted the DNR to designate DPA 679 as a new CWD management zone.

Hunting regulations and CWD sampling has changed for hunters this deer season in the Grand Rapids area. Hunters need to know about hunting regulations, CWD testing, carcass movement restrictions, and deer feeding and attractant bans. Hunters can find this information using the DNR’s online DPA lookup tool. Hunters enter their DPA number and can find the details they need for where they hunt. The tool is available on the DNR website (mndnr.gov/CWD/DPA-Lookup.html).

More information The DNR is committed to maintaining a healthy deer herd. To find out more about what the DNR is doing to manage the disease in wild deer, check out the agency’s CWD management plan (mndnr.gov/CWD/CWD-Response-Plan.html).