More Minnesota Counties Added To Growing Deer Feeding Ban

The Minnesota DNR urges the public to stop feeding deer to help stop the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). 5 more counties have been added to the feeding ban, but the DNR urges everyone to stop.

Chronic Wasting Disease is a fatal illness that affects deer and Elk. It's a neurological disease that causes deer to waste away, and it is always fatal. It's spread among deer in concentrated areas. That's why feeding deer is a bad idea: illness can spread through their saliva. If you're putting out deer feed, multiple deer will come to the same pile, and the sickness can spread.

Five counties have been added to the list of now 37 banned counties. Becker, Clearwater, Grant, McLeod, and Meeker counties are now in the ban.

MN DNR

There haven't been any cases of CWD in humans yet. But, officials say not to consume meat from an infected deer. There are testing locations set up across the state, and with the increased testing, there are more positive CWD cases being discovered.

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CWD has spread quickly across Minnesota (and the rest of the United States). The first cases were discovered in white-tailed deer herds in Southeastern Minnesota in 2010. Just years later, CWD has spread to the metro and Northern parts of Minnesota.

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Besides, CWD, feeding deer, or using attractants causes other problems. There's an increase in auto accidents as food piles draw deer away from their natural feeding areas. Large concentrations of deer can cause habitat and crop loss.

It's a noble thought, but it has devastating consequences. The DNR urges the public statewide not to feed deer or use deer attractants for these reasons.