A sick doe found near Stillwater has tested positive for , the first case recorded for that county and a detection roughly 30 miles from the nearest known cases in Minnesota and western Wisconsin.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources announced the result on August 4. According to the DNR announcement of the Stillwater detection, a landowner who had watched the animal for several days reported that it appeared emaciated and unafraid of people. The deer died on July 16 and was retrieved by DNR staff, then taken to the University of Minnesota's Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory for a necropsy and testing, with confirmation received the following month.
For families in the eastern Twin Cities metro who hunt, process their own venison, or simply live near deer, the practical question is what a detection in a new geography changes. The answer is mostly about rules and surveillance rather than immediate personal risk.
Detection in a New Geography Triggers a Response Plan
The deer was found in deer permit area 236, which covers the northern portion of Washington County into Chisago County. That distance from previously known cases is what makes this finding significant to wildlife managers, because it suggests the disease is present in an area where surveillance had not previously found it.
The discovery activates the DNR's chronic wasting disease response plan for the area. Michelle Carstensen, the agency's Wildlife Health Program supervisor, said the detection "highlights the importance of the public's awareness" of and ability to report sick deer, and thanked the landowner because public participation is necessary to keep the deer population healthy.
Standard management actions in affected areas include a ban on deer feeding and attractants, carcass movement restrictions, and in some cases increased hunting opportunities with increased bag limits. In existing management zones, carcass movement restrictions mean deer harvested in any season cannot be moved out of the zone until a not-detected test result is received. Separately, the DNR added five counties to the feeding and attractant ban the same week.
The agency said it is still determining what the surveillance response will be for the Stillwater area, so hunters in that region should expect rules to be finalized before the season rather than assume current conditions will hold.
Statewide Picture Behind This Single Case
Chronic wasting disease is a fatal neurological disease of deer, elk, moose and related animals caused by prions, misfolded proteins that self-replicate and resist heat, freezing and ordinary disinfectants. There is no vaccine and no treatment. It was first identified in Colorado in 1967 and has since been reported in more than two-thirds of United States states.
Minnesota first recorded the disease in a farmed elk in Aitkin County in 2002, and cases began appearing in wild whitetail deer in 2010. It has remained relatively uncommon in the state, with most cases concentrated in the southeast.
The 2025 hunting season produced the highest number the state has recorded. Mandatory testing found the disease in 117 positive deer among nearly 14,000 tested, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune.
Minnesota is also changing how it looks. The DNR has moved to a four-year rotational surveillance system dividing the state into quadrants, with hunters in one quadrant each year required to submit deer at least one year old for testing when harvested during firearms opening weekend. Southwestern Minnesota is the mandatory region for 2026.
Human Risk and What Health Agencies Actually Advise
No human case of chronic wasting disease has ever been documented, and there is no evidence the disease is transmissible to people. That is the accurate statement, and it should not be softened in either direction.
Chronic wasting disease belongs to the same family as bovine spongiform encephalopathy in cattle, a disease that did cross to humans. That relationship is why health agencies have maintained a precautionary position rather than declaring the question closed, and why surveillance continues.
Public health guidance is straightforward: do not eat meat from an animal that has tested positive, and have deer tested when harvested in areas where the disease has been found. Hunters should also avoid harvesting animals that appear sick, wear gloves when field dressing, avoid handling brain and spinal tissue, and use dedicated equipment that can be cleaned separately.
Cooking does not solve this. Prions are not destroyed by normal cooking temperatures, so the protection comes from testing and from not consuming meat that tests positive.
Anyone who has already eaten venison from an animal later found positive should not panic. There is no test or treatment offered in that situation, and no documented human cases exist. A conversation with a clinician is reasonable for peace of mind, but there is no medical intervention to pursue.
Steps for Hunters and Households Before the Season
Minnesota's firearms deer opener falls in November, which leaves time to prepare rather than react.
Hunters should look up their deer permit area on the DNR's chronic wasting disease pages before the season, since requirements differ sharply between management zones, surveillance zones and unaffected areas. Rules can change before opening weekend, particularly around Stillwater.
Practical preparation includes identifying the nearest sampling station, planning for the possibility that a carcass cannot be transported until results return, and arranging cold storage accordingly. Processors in affected areas often have their own policies about accepting untested deer.
Residents who are not hunters still have a role. The Stillwater case was found only because a landowner reported a deer that looked wrong. Signs to report include severe weight loss, stumbling, drooping head or ears, excessive drinking and salivation, and a striking lack of fear around people. Sick deer should be reported to the DNR rather than approached or handled.
The bottom line: the newest confirmed development is a first Washington County detection about 30 miles from known cases, the practical effect for households is changed testing and carcass rules rather than a new health threat, no human case has ever been documented, and the reasonable steps are testing harvested deer and reporting sick animals.
Key Questions Answered
What was confirmed? A female deer found near Stillwater tested positive for chronic wasting disease, the first confirmed case in Washington County. It was located in deer permit area 236, roughly 30 miles from the nearest known cases.
Can humans catch chronic wasting disease? No human case has ever been documented, and there is no evidence of transmission to people. Because the disease belongs to the same family as bovine spongiform encephalopathy, health agencies maintain precautionary guidance and continue surveillance.
Is it safe to eat venison? Health agencies advise against eating meat from an animal that tests positive and recommend testing deer harvested where the disease has been found. Cooking does not destroy prions.
What happens now in that area? The detection triggers the DNR's response plan, which typically includes a deer feeding and attractant ban, carcass movement restrictions and sometimes expanded hunting opportunities. Specific measures were still being determined.
How common is it in Minnesota? Relatively uncommon but rising. Mandatory testing during the 2025 season found 117 positive deer among nearly 14,000 tested, the state's highest total.
How is Minnesota changing surveillance? The DNR moved to four-year rotational surveillance by quadrant, with mandatory testing during firearms opening weekend in one quadrant each year. Southwestern Minnesota is the region for 2026.
What should someone do if they see a sick deer? Report it to the DNR rather than approaching or handling it. Signs include severe weight loss, stumbling, drooping head or ears, excessive salivation and loss of fear of people.
