Wildlife experts update state lawmakers on efforts to track CWD in deer populations

Officials with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources are updating lawmakers on their efforts to learn more about chronic wasting disease in deer and to mitigate the spread of the disease ahead of the upcoming hunting season.

"Our sampling goals for this year are designed to maintain a high level of confidence in all of our areas. We’re expecting 99% confidence that we can detect if they’re over 1% of the population," said Dr. Michelle Carstensen, wildlife health group leader with the DNR. "So our targets are still very high — we believe we’re still going to get good information to understand where the disease is and isn’t with this effort."

CWD has been a concern in Minnesota for years now.

Last week the DNR said there are three new zones in Minnesota for CWD, which includes Dakota County. However, because of COVID-19, hunters will not be required to have their deer tested in CWD zones during the firearms season.