The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has added Aitkin County in a deer feeding and attractant ban to reduce the risk of chronic wasting disease spread, following CWD detection in two additional wild deer near Grand Rapids in fall 2023.

“The DNR uses feeding and attractant bans as a tool to reduce unnatural aggregations of deer and reduce the risk of exposure to CWD,” said Todd Froberg, big game program coordinator. “We use this tool where it provides the greatest benefit to the health of Minnesota’s white-tailed deer.”

Feeding deer and using deer attractants is now banned in 24 Minnesota counties where disease surveillance efforts indicate a greater risk of CWD spread.

The feeding and attractant ban is now in effect in Aitkin, Beltrami, Carver, Cass, Crow Wing, Dakota, Dodge, Fillmore, Goodhue, Hennepin, Houston, Hubbard, Itasca, Le Sueur, Mower, Norman, Olmsted, Polk, Rice, Scott, Sibley, Wabasha, Washington and Winona counties. A map of counties included in the feeding and attractant ban is available on the Minnesota DNR website.

The DNR does not encourage the public to feed deer. Residents interested in helping deer should focus efforts on improving habitat to provide long-term food resources and shelter.

For more information on how to improve private land for the benefit of deer and other wildlife, visit the Minnesota DNR website.