The backyard buffet is closing for more Minnesota deer. The state Department of Natural Resources has expanded its ban on feeding deer and using attractants to five more counties as of June 22, 2026, after new chronic wasting disease detections. Becker, Clearwater, Grant, McLeod, and Meeker are now on the no-feed list, bringing the total number of restricted counties to 37. Wildlife officials say the move is meant to keep deer from crowding into shared feeding spots, where the fatal prion disease can spread more easily. Hunters and property owners in the newly added counties will have to follow the rules ahead of the fall surveillance and hunting seasons.
According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the agency added the five counties to the deer feeding and attractant ban and published an updated map of the restricted area. The DNR describes the bans as precautionary steps after CWD-positive deer were found both in the wild and on deer farms. Residents are being urged not to place food or scents that pull deer into tight clusters. The updated map and list are posted on the DNR website for anyone double-checking whether their county is covered.
Paul Burr, acting big game program leader, called the feeding and attractant ban "one tool to reduce the unnatural congregating of deer and lower the risk of CWD spread," as reported by FOX 9. State officials say even low-key habits like scatter-feeding corn or setting out scented lures can pull multiple deer into the same small patch of ground and drive up transmission risk. In the coming months, local enforcement and outreach are expected to lean heavily on education as hunters and residents adjust to the expanded rules.
What the ban covers
The rule blocks placement of grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, hay and similar food that can attract or entice deer, and it also restricts attractants such as food scents, salts, minerals and commercially sold cervid scent products. People who feed birds or small mammals are asked to keep feeders at least six feet off the ground so deer cannot reach them, and normal agricultural feeding practices are generally exempt. The DNR also advises cattle operators to take steps that reduce contact between deer and livestock to help limit cross-species transmission. If you see a sick or unusually behaving deer, the agency asks that you report it through its online reporting tools or by calling the DNR hotline.
Where things stand and what to expect
A DNR legislative report covering July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025 shows that 12,970 deer were tested for CWD and that 96 new detections were recorded, a data point officials cite when explaining why feeding rules are tightening; the full report is posted by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. While detections have increased in recent seasons, experts told MPR News that CWD remains a relatively uncommon finding across the state. The DNR says expanded surveillance, targeted removals where needed, and public cooperation with measures like the feeding ban are still the best tools for preventing the disease from gaining a stronger foothold.
