In an unusual move, a special deer hunt will be held this winter in northwestern Minnesota to reduce deer densities there because of bovine tuberculosis.
And after the 16-day hunt, federal sharpshooters will again be brought in to further reduce deer numbers.
The action announced Tuesday comes after three more deer - out of 1,100 deer killed by hunters this fall - tested positive for the disease. That brings the total of infected wild deer to 13 since surveillance began in 2005, when the disease was first discovered there in cattle.
Since then, eight infected cattle herds in Roseau and Beltrami counties have been destroyed.
The special 16-day deer hunt will occur Dec. 29-Jan. 13 in deer Permit Area 101, which is near Skime, Minn.
"To my knowledge, we've never reopened the deer season for this reason," said Lou Cornicelli, Department of Natural Resources big game supervisor.
"The goal is to dramatically lower deer densities in these areas both to protect the wild deer herd and to reduce possible risk to cattle herds," Cornicelli said.
Few deer that will be killed by hunters should be infected, meaning they will be safe to eat, Cornicelli said. Even infected animals would be safe to eat as long as they are cooked to 170 degrees, he said. DNR officials will staff registration stations there on the weekends to examine deer for bovine TB.