Hunter harvested a third deer infected with a chronic wasting disease (CWD) in Southeastern Minnesota. The infected deer was discovered in mid-November about 5 miles north where the two previous infected deer has been recovered.

According to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the place where the deer has been discovered is also a known infected area. Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a terminal brain disease to animals like deer, elk, and moose.

The said disease, however, could affect human health. According to the recent discovery in Lanesboro, the only wild deer with the same disease was found on Pine Island in 2010.

Fillmore County initiated a special hunt on Saturday to thin the local whitetail population to reduce the risk of CWD which is spreading among deer. A hunter killed the infected deer in the mid-November. The discovery of the Chronic wasting disease (CWD) was made possible through a sample for testing provided by the DNR.

According to the Star Tribune, the DNR is hoping that they could take over 900 mature deer out of the local herd by allowing hunters to tags for $2.50. They can also fill the tags which were not used for the 2016 hunting season.

The said special hunt would begin on January 15. Hunters were already given permission to hunt on private land.

"We strongly encourage landowners to participate in the special hunt that begins Dec. 31," said Lou Cornicelli, DNR's wildlife research manager.

The said discovery will not alter the current boundaries of the disease management zone. Resident and nonresident hunters and landowners can choose to use any unfilled Minnesota deer license in the special hunt.

The latest case of the Chronic wasting disease (CWD) will affect the disease control zone for farmed deer and elk. According to Dr. Paul Anderson, the Minnesota Board of Animal Health has created a 10-mile disease control zone and regulated farmed deer and elk in the state.

Related