No Chronic Wasting Disease was detected in more than 11,000 precaution samples from deer that hunters harvested this season in north-central, central and southeastern Minnesota, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

DNR Wildlife Research Manager Lou Cornicelli was happy with the good news for Minnesota.

"The results lend confidence that the disease is not spread across the landscape," Cornicelli said.

1,149 deer were tested in southeastern Minnesota outside of the deer permit area 603, which is the CWD management zone. Because no deer were found with CWD in north-central and central Minnesota, the DNR will narrow its surveillance next fall to areas closer to the farms where CWD has been detected.

Another precautionary surveillance area will be added in the fall of 2018 in Winona County because CWD was recently detected in a captive deer there. 

“Overall, hunter cooperation and public support has been tremendous,” Cornicelli said. “While there are always challenges when you conduct this type of surveillance effort, it really couldn’t have been successful without the cooperation of hunters, taxidermists, landowners and the businesses that allowed us to operate check stations.”

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