Sharpshooters kill 962 deer in northwest Minnesota

By DOUG SMITH, Star Tribune

Last update: May 15, 2008 - 1:31 PM

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Sharpshooters have finished for now trying to dramatically thin the deer herd in part of northwestern Minnesota plagued by bovine tuberculosis.

Shooting from the ground and a helicopter, federal and private sharpshooters killed 962 deer -- more than had been estimated to inhabit the 164-square-mile core area in January. The sharpshooting began in February and ended Friday.

The total deer killed since September, including those shot by sharpshooters, hunters and landowners in the hunting season and after it is 2,656, the Department of Natural Resources reported Tuesday.

"We've reduced numbers dramatically in the core area,'' said Paul Telander, DNR regional wildlife manager in Bemidji.

He said officials hope that the unprecedented action will curb the spread of the disease to cattle herds.

Eight of the 962 deer killed by sharpshooters are suspected of having bovine TB. Two have tested positive; results are pending on the others. Since 2005, 20 deer have tested positive.

The disease, which officials say originated with infected cattle, has been found in 11 cattle herds in Roseau and Beltrami counties since 2005 and spread to wild deer. The disease has had devastating effects on the cattle industry, forcing ranchers to kill entire herds. A deer-feeding ban was imposed, and a special deer hunt was held. Cattle-feeding areas have been fenced.

Will TB continue to spread?

Whether the deer-reduction efforts succeed in limiting the spread of the disease remains to be seen.

"This has been a highly successful operation that has gone a long way toward achieving our goal of eliminating bovine TB in deer,'' Dave Schad, DNR Fish and Wildlife Division director, said in a statement.

Most of the deer were given to individuals who requested the venison, Telander said.

Telander said deer in the core area weren't eradicated. That couldn't have been done, even if officials had tried, he said. "Deer tend to fill up voids,'' he said.

The DNR will finalize plans for the fall hunting seasons in this area by July. Deer again will be sampled for bovine TB, and those results will determine whether further deer-reduction efforts will be needed, Telander said.

Meanwhile, a plan to eradicate bovine TB from Minnesota cattle was signed into law last week. It includes $6.2 million to pay ranchers to slaughter their herds and put up fences to keep deer from spreading the disease.

Doug Smith • 612-673-7667