CWD found in wild deer in Grand Rapids

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says it will update its chronic wasting disease response plan after the disease was discovered in a wild deer in the city of Grand Rapids.

Last month, a Grand Rapids resident reported a dead deer in his backyard. While the deer died from a vehicle collision, test results show the deer was infected with chronic wasting disease. It's the first time CWD has been found in this part of northeastern Minnesota.

The DNR now says its response plan will include a more statewide approach to disease surveillance, management, control and education.

“We’ve always looked at CWD as a disease that could impact the entire state, yet implemented disease management actions as needed in each area where CWD was found,” said DNR wildlife section manager Kelly Straka.

“This new discovery doesn’t make CWD a statewide problem, but it does mean we need to take more of a statewide approach.”

The agency said it’s investigating options for hunters to use a self-mailing kit for free testing statewide, expanding the network of taxidermists who sample for the disease and improving self-service stations. It’s also asking for public input on what else statewide surveillance should include.

The DNR plans to also take steps to better understand the prevalence of the disease in wild deer in the Grand Rapids area. The agency says it will work with local road authorities to collect samples from road-killed deer, and will also consider culling the deer population in certain areas.

CWD has now been found in eight areas across the state, from north to south, although most cases have occurred in southeastern Minnesota.

Despite its increased prevalence, state officials say the disease remains rare. Fewer than 1 percent of deer have tested positive for CWD in areas where the disease has been consistently detected.

The disease affects the nervous system of deer, causing them to waste away.