New hunting regulations take effect in Minnesota Aug. 1

Several new regulations for hunters are set to take effect in Minnesota Aug. 1.

In addition to the already-launched new electronic licensing system, several changes are coming, particularly for deer hunters.

The Department of Natural Resources announced the state will move to a four-year rotational surveillance plan to combat chronic wasting disease. This year, hunters in southwestern Minnesota will be required to have all deer 1 year or older they kill during firearms opening weekend tested for the disease.

"We made this shift to get a clearer, more complete picture of where CWD is in Minnesota. Recent detections of CWD in new areas and endemic status in the southeast core make a broader approach necessary for both disease management and efficient use of resources," Patrick Hagen, DNR wildlife disease response coordinator, said.

The DNR said hunters will have several ways to test deer, including staffed or self-service sampling stations, mail-in sampling kits or participating taxidermists.

The mandate will move to northwestern Minnesota in 2027, then northeastern and southeastern Minnesota in the subsequent years.

Another new regulation allows hunters to move deer killed in a chronic wasting disease management zone outside of the area, as long as they dispose of carcasses with a refuse hauler, at a local landfill or with a meat processor.  Hunters can also leave a deer carcass on private property with permission from the property owner. In conjunction with this new rule, the DNR said it will no longer provide dumpsters for carcass disposal.

The state's shotgun zone for deer hunting has also been eliminated, though some county restrictions remain in place, the DNR said.

All of Minnesota's hunting and trapping regulations can be found on the DNR's website.