Minnesota Deer Hunters Face New Testing, Rifle Rules
Southwest Minnesota hunters must submit opening-weekend deer for chronic wasting disease testing on November 7-8, 2026.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Hunting
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Minnesota Department of Natural Resources rules take effect with the 2026 deer firearm season opening Saturday, November 7. Hunters in most 200 series Deer Permit Areas in southwestern Minnesota must have deer harvested on opening weekend tested for chronic wasting disease, while rifles are allowed for the first time in decades across much of southern Minnesota.
Why it matters
The changes shift how chronic wasting disease is monitored statewide and expand the tools available to hunters in counties that previously allowed only shotguns. Wildlife managers say the new surveillance approach is designed to better map disease prevalence across the state.
Mandatory testing applies to deer harvested on opening weekend in most 200 series Deer Permit Areas in southwestern Minnesota, and surveillance stations operate 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and 9 a.m. to noon Monday. Rifles are now allowed in Meeker, Renville, Chippewa, Swift and Redwood counties, while Kandiyohi and Pope counties remain shotgun-only.
The players
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
The state agency that manages wildlife, sets hunting seasons and runs chronic wasting disease surveillance across Minnesota.
The details
Each surveillance station is staffed by two workers, one collecting a lymph node sample and one recording harvest location, including township, range, section and DNR number. The DNR switched its chronic wasting disease surveillance to a four-year rotational plan, beginning in southwestern Minnesota because the region has not been surveilled for a long time.
Timeline
Saturday, November 7, 2026: 2026 deer firearm season opens with new testing and rifle rules.
Saturday and Sunday, November 7-8, 2026: Opening weekend harvest in southwest requires CWD testing.
Monday, November 9, 2026: DNR surveillance stations close at noon.
Within 48 hours of harvest: Hunters must register harvested deer.
Seasonal Patterns
The DNR's four-year rotational chronic wasting disease surveillance plan extends the state's monitoring program into southwestern Minnesota, a region not surveilled in a long time. Minnesota's 500 recorded positives since 2010 frame why the agency is widening testing coverage.
Hunters in southwestern Minnesota must bring opening-weekend deer to a surveillance station and register harvests within 48 hours. Hunters in newly rifle-eligible counties can now choose between rifles and shotguns for the season.
The takeaway
Hunters planning the 2026 opening weekend should confirm their deer permit area, plan for the station hours, and register harvests within 48 hours to stay compliant with the new rules.
What happens next
Opening weekend deer harvest testing begins Saturday, November 7, 2026, with surveillance stations operating Saturday and Sunday and Monday morning.
Further reading
Find more on Hunting rules and seasons across Minnesota.
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