DNR QUESTION OF THE WEEK

[Lee Borgersen]

                DNR QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Q: I am planning on going deer hunting in South Dakota. Are there any regulations about transporting my deer back into Minnesota?

A: Restrictions for importing carcasses into Minnesota are in place for counties in eight states where chronic wasting disease (CWD) has been identified in wild deer and/or elk. These states include Colorado, Illinois, Nebraska, New Mexico, South Dakota, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Hunters bringing animals back from those areas must comply with import regulations. They include meat that is cut and wrapped, quartered animals with no part of the spinal column or head attached, properly cleaned skull plates that are attached to antlers, and finished taxidermy mounts. As the restrictions only apply to certain areas of the affected states, hunters are urged to contact officials in the state they're hunting prior to making the trip.

For a map and list of counties in each state affected by CWD regulations, go to: http://mn.gov/bah/board/rules/import-regulations.html#cervidae.