Early deer tests: No CWD so far

AITKIN -- The first tests for chronic wasting disease among deer shot near Aitkin have come back negative, the DNR said today.

Official test results arrived this morning from 10 deer culled from a nine-square mile area around a farm where Minnesota's first case of chronic wasting disease was found in a captive elk in August. More test results were expected to be released within the next few days.

"Obviously this is good news and we're hopeful," said Mike Don Carlos, DNR wildlife research manager. "But there still are a large number of samples to be tested."

To date the DNR has culled 75 deer, including 68 shot by DNR staff, five archery kills and two car kills. Samples from the culled deer were processed at the DNR farmland wildlife research center in Madelia and forwarded to a USDA-certified laboratory in Ames, Iowa.

To supplement the sample size, the DNR recently issued several permits that allow landowners to shoot and submit deer for sampling. DNR shooting teams have been reduced in recent days as fewer deer have been seen in the sample area. DNR staff are expected to remain in the field for at least another week.

"We're pleased with the number of deer we've been able to take so far," said Dave Schad, DNR incident manager in Aitkin. "To get the largest sample size possible, we have asked landowners for their assistance."

Venison from deer that do not test positive for the disease is being distributed by a food shelf.