The firearm deer season begins Saturday, Nov. 9. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources said there will be 26 dumpster sites available to dispose of deer carcasses for hunters who harvest deer in north-central and southeast Minnesota during firearms deer season.

According to a release from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources hunters in three zones – the north-central chronic wasting disease management zone, the southeast chronic wasting disease management zone and the southeast chronic wasting disease control zone – must register their deer, complete required chronic wasting disease sampling, and comply with carcass movement restrictions by keeping whole deer carcasses within the zone until receiving “not detected” test results for their deer.

“These dumpsters will be in place in time for the hunting opener, and they’re an important part of the plan to combat CWD by helping hunters comply with carcass movement restrictions in CWD zones,” DNR Habitat Program Manager Bryan Lueth said.

Locations for the dumpster sites can be found on the DNR website: north-central management zone, southeast management zone and southeast control zone.

According to the DNR, hunters can check online to determine whether a disposal location has a quartering station. They encourage hunters to use the dumpsters to comply with carcass movement restrictions and limit possible disease spread.

By having carcass disposal locations available, the DNR said it aids in their three-pronged approach to limit the spread of CWD in areas where the disease has been found in wild deer. The DNR aims to reduce deer densities; ban people from feeding deer in some areas to reduce this human-facilitated contact between deer; and restrict deer carcass movement.

CWD affects the cervid family, which includes deer, elk, and moose. It is spread through direct contact with an infected cervid’s saliva, urine, blood, feces, antler velvet or carcass. There is no vaccine or treatment for this disease.

For more information on chronic wasting disease, including maps of CWD surveillance areas, frequently asked questions, hunter information, lists of meat processors and taxidermists, and for the location of dumpsters, visit mndnr.gov/cwd.

By — Malaak Khattab

News Reporter