Minnesota Officials Speak Out As Chronic Disease Continues to Spread: ‘We Have Right Around 120 Positives’
January 27, 2026 | Source: The Cool Down | by
Deer in Minnesota are contracting a deadly neurological disease called chronic wasting disease, and the number is increasing, according to MPR News.
While 96 deer tested positive in the 2024-2025 hunting season, that number has increased nearly 26% for this season.
What’s happening?
Chronic wasting disease is where a protein called prion builds up in the animal’s brain and other tissues and causes erratic behavior, weight loss, lethargy, and then death. It can take up to two years or more for the animal to die, and it affects not only deer but also elk and moose.
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Research Manager Seth Goreham said, “We have right around 120 positives so far in the state.”