Chronic wasting disease
What is Chronic Wasting Disease?
CWD (Chronic Wasting Disease) naturally occurs in North American deer and Rocky Mountain Elk. It belongs to a group of infectious diseases known as "transmissible spongiform encephalopathies" (TSEs). It is caused by an abnormal protein called a prion which affects the animal's brain and is invariably fatal. Usually, months to years pass from the time an animal is infected to when it shows signs of the disease.
Typical signs of the disease include drooping head or ears, poor body condition, tremors, stumbling, increased salivation, difficulty swallowing, or excessive thirst or urination. In Minnesota, CWD has been discovered in two captive elk farms in Aitkin and Stearns counties. In the wild, over 15,000 deer have been tested and the disease has not been detected. The disease was first discovered in Colorado and Wyoming, and has since been detected in wild or captive animals in Illinois, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Montana, Utah, Wisconsin, Saskatchewan and Alberta.
CWD testing
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will not be testing for Chronic Wasting Disease in 2005.
Is it safe to eat venison?
Meat from deer or elk should be safe to eat, according to officials at the Minnesota Department of Health, provided that hunters take the following precautions:
- Don't eat meat from animals that look sick or ill.
- Don't eat the brain, spinal cord, eyes, spleen, tonsils and lymph nodes.
- Dress the animal properly -- minimize handling of brain and spinal tissues, wear rubber gloves when field dressing carcasses and wash hands and instruments thoroughly after field dressing is complete.
What else is the DNR doing about CWD?
During 2002, DNR tested 4,462 deer for CWD from 16 permit areas. In 2003, a total of 9,988 samples were tested, and in 2004, 12,990 samples were tested. All samples tested have been negative for CWD. DNR expects to complete statewide sampling of hunter-harvested deer this year.
For more than three years, the DNR has been testing "suspect" deer that are found sick or displaying symptoms consistent with CWD. The DNR has also tested wild deer from the area around the Aitkin County elk farm where a CWD-positive elk was found in August 2002 and none were positive. DNR will continue to test "suspect deer" indefinitely.
The completion of hunter-harvested surveillance and ongoing suspect deer testing will provide DNR biologists with a base for early detection of the disease in Minnesota.
What if I harvest a deer, elk, moose, or caribou from another state?
It is illegal to bring back whole carcasses from areas of the country where CWD has been detected. These areas include parts of Colorado, Wyoming, Illinois, Wisconsin, Nebraska, South Dakota, New Mexico, and Utah. For a complete list of areas, see the carcass import restriction map. 
What if I see a sick deer while I'm hunting?
Hunters who notice a deer that is acting strangely or showing any signs of illness should not shoot the deer. Instead they should report the sighting to their local conservation officer or area wildlife manager. DNR personnel will attempt to locate the animal and have it tested for CWD.
