ST. PAUL — Minnesota’s hunting landscape is shifting this season, with new regulations that touch every hunter but reshape the experience most dramatically for deer hunters. From a rotating surveillance system for chronic wasting disease to expanded rifle zones and virtual license options, the changes aim to balance tradition with science and safety.

At the heart of the updates is an intensified effort to track CWD, a fatal neurological disease affecting deer. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has rolled out a quadrant-based monitoring plan, dividing the state into four regions. Each year, hunters in one quadrant will be required to submit every deer they harvest that is at least one year old during the firearms opening weekend for CWD testing. This year, the southwest quadrant is under the microscope. The northwest quadrant will follow in 2027. “The more we find, the more data we collect, the better understanding we have,” said Bill Landmark, a DNR conservation officer. He explained that the new system is designed to yield more accurate prevalence data, replacing the previous ad-hoc sampling approach.

Beyond disease surveillance, the DNR has also adjusted weapon restrictions. Clay County, one of 13 counties with a designated shotgun zone, is now allowing rifles in a portion of its eastern territory. The new rifle zone follows a boundary line that starts at Highway 9 from the Clay-Norman County line, continues to Highway 10, then zigzags through Highways 32 and 34, and Interstate 94 to the Clay-Wilkin County line. This area encompasses deer permit areas 666 and 239. West of the line, hunters must stick to shotguns, muzzleloaders, or handguns. East of the line, rifles are permitted. Clay County Commissioner Ezra Baer noted that this is not a novel concept for the region. “Back in 2008 and 2009, that zone was already a rifle zone for two years, and then it went back to shotgun. So I believe that gave a lot of people awareness back then and switching back now, I don’t think you’ll have a problem,” Baer said. The county board unanimously approved the measure during a meeting on April 21.

Another change addresses carcass disposal. A new statute allows hunters to move deer carcasses from a permit area to a landfill or garbage facility, easing previous restrictions that required on-site disposal or complex transport rules. “Hopefully that makes things a lot easier for people,” Baer added.

To further combat CWD, year-round feeding bans are now in effect in Becker, Clay, Norman, and Wilkin counties. These bans prohibit the placement of food that could attract deer and facilitate disease transmission. The DNR hopes these combined measures will slow the spread of CWD, which has been detected in wild deer across parts of Minnesota.

Virtual licenses, another new feature, streamline the process for hunters, allowing them to purchase and carry licenses on their smartphones. This digital shift applies to all hunting licenses, not just deer, and aims to reduce paper waste and improve convenience.

Hunters across the state are adjusting to these changes, with many expressing cautious optimism. The DNR plans to evaluate the effectiveness of the quadrant system after the first year and adjust based on data. As Landmark put it, the goal is to keep Minnesota’s deer herd healthy and hunting traditions alive for generations to come.

Forum reporter Ingrid Harbo contributed to this report.