Deer Carcass Disposal Locations Available In Certain Areas Ahead Of Deer Hunting Season Opener

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Minnesota's firearms deer hunting season begins on Saturday, and the Department of Natural Resources will make 26 dumpsters available in a variety of locations, for hunters to dispose of carcasses.

The DNR is offering the service to help combat the spread of chronic wasting disease among deer in the state.

Hunters must comply with certain rules before using the dumpsters. They're expected to complete deer registration, chronic wasting disease sampling, and meat removal.

Officials are also instructing hunters to not move the carcasses outside of a zone until they've received "not detected" test results for chronic wasting disease.

"Before you hunt, plan ahead so that after you have your deer sampled for CWD, you have what you need to properly quarter your deer and take meat out of the zone," said the DNR habitat program manager, Bryan Lueth. "Also consider if you want taxidermy work done. We tell hunters to plan as if you are going to shoot the biggest buck of your life."

Click to find a location of a dumpster in the north-central CWD management zone,  the southeast CWD management zone, and the southeast control zone.

According to the department, "Since CWD was first detected in Minnesota in 2002, the DNR has tested more than 72,000 wild deer in the state. To date, 54 wild deer have tested positive for CWD in Minnesota."