The DNR will construct a large fence to keep the deer out of an area that may transmit chronic wasting disease.
During a presentation to the Beltrami County Board of Commissioners, Blane Klemek said that the deer farm in question is in the Hines area.
The state Animal Health Board is still investigating the alleged illegal dumping of domesticated deer remains on nearby county-managed tax-forfeited land.
The DNR appeared before the board to get permission to construct the 10 foot high, 120 foot wide deer exclusionary fence on county land. Klemek said the fence may remain for 20 years, with the DNR absorbing the cost.
The DNR is planning to collect 1,800 samples from deer hunters this November, in an area spanning from Waskish, Lake George, Deer River, and Bagley.
Klemek says with this sample size across this area, he is confident that if CWD is already present in wild deer, it should be detected.
Contact tracing at the Hines deer farm determined that the always-fatal CWD was likely present in the farm since 2019.
The CWD-exposed farm in Beltrami County was depopulated by the USDA last month and news of the disease this far north broke in April.
