DNR removes deer carcasses, admits error

The "discovery" of a site where the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has been dumping deer carcasses for years has prompted a public outcry — and an admission from the DNR that in this case its protocols were not being followed.

The site came to light in late December when a pheasant hunter found a pile of dead deer on the Gordon Yeager Wildlife Management Area north of Rochester Community and Technical College and south of Quarry Hill Nature Center. He shot a video that showed several dozen deer carcasses and severed heads, and that video was posted to the Minnesota Hunting Club's Facebook page , where it has been shared more than 11,000 times.

Michael Wondrow stumbled across this on a WMA. Hopefully we can gather some more information on what this is and who did it. Please share this so we can find out what or who did this!

Posted by Minnesota Hunting Club on Saturday, December 31, 2016

Lt. Tyler Quandt, supervisor of the DNR District 18 Enforcement District, said the carcasses were removed Wednesday. He also explained how they came to be there in the first place.

"These were deer that were shot illegally and were seized by law enforcement, or people called in a complaint about discovering a dead deer somewhere," he said.

Ideally, confiscated deer are given to families who need the meat, but sometimes the animals have spoiled and cannot be salvaged. In such cases, Quandt said it's standard practice for the DNR to dump the carcasses on public lands.

"This type of thing has been going on since the DNR has been around," he said. "We've had game wardens in our state for 120 years, and for 120 years we've taken deer that can't be salvaged and we dump them in specific places on public lands."

In this case, however, the deer were dumped was less than 150 yards from a parking area and just a few feet off of a mowed trail that, in recent years, has begun to get more traffic.

"The city of Rochester is developing in every direction, and there's getting to be more businesses and houses in that area," Quandt said. "People are walking dogs or just going for walks in that area, so that kind of activity has increased."

Other than the unsightly aspect of the dump site so near a public trail, the DNR now admits that at least one other mistake was made at this dump site. Chris Niskanen, communications director for the DNR, said some deer heads found at the site were supposed to have a different final destination.

"The deer heads at the site were from hunter-harvested deer that were tested for chronic wasting disease as part of the DNR's surveillance program," he said. "All the heads tested negative. Unfortunately, agency protocol for disposing of the heads in the landfill was not followed in all cases, and some heads were left at the disposal site."

Chronic wasting disease is an always-fatal neurological disease that affects deer, elk and moose. It's a hot topic in southeastern Minnesota right now after three deer tested positive for CWD in the Preston area. A special hunt is now underway to curb the spread of the disease and determine how many deer are infected.

The dump site at Gordon Yeager WMA will no longer be used, but Niskanen said the DNR will continue to dispose of animal carcasses on public lands across the state.

"We are responsible under state statute to manage wildlife (dead or alive) on state lands and WMAs, and we find it necessary to use discreet and remote areas to allow confiscated deer carcasses that are unfit for human consumption to decompose naturally," he said. "It saves on landfill space and the cost of disposal. Still, we acknowledge the unfortunate circumstances of this situation and we are making corrections. We are also reviewing other sites to ensure they are remote and not visible to the public."

Among the complaints that hunters have been voicing on social media is the fact that people who butcher the deer they shoot are prohibited from dumping the carcasses on public land.

Is that a double standard?

Not at all, Quandt said.

"We are the state of Minnesota, acting on behalf of the state of Minnesota, disposing of deer carcasses on land controlled by the state," he said. "And there's no law against disposing of deer on private land. If I get permission from Farmer Joe to hunt deer on his property, he can also give me permission to dump the remains on his land after I butcher a deer."

Quandt added that letting a deer decompose naturally is far better than burying it in a landfill.

"Between the crows, coyotes, skunks, foxes and other critters, the animal doesn't go to waste," he said. "It is utilized by nature, and we believe that is the best way for them to be disposed of."