With the confirmation of a dozen new cases of whitetail deer with chronic wasting disease (CWD) in south-central Pennsylvania during 2015, the state Game Commission has expanded the area in which special regulations and restrictions are implemented to help prevent the spread of the always-fatal ungulate disease.
The 12 cases from last year bring to 22 the total number of free-ranging deer found with CWD within Disease Management Area 2 (DMA 2) since 2012. It reflects the highest number of cases to be found in a single year in the Keystone State, and more than doubles the total number of CWD-positive deer found in the wild in Pennsylvania.
During commission action taken in May, the news of additional cases resulted in changes to DMA 2’s boundaries, increasing its size by more than 437 square miles.
As part of its effort to prevent the spread of CWD outside DMA 2, additional antlerless deer tags will be available for the 2016-17 seasons. The Game Commission has allocated 14,500 DMA 2 Antlerless Deer Permits, in addition to antlerless licenses allocated for the WMUs partially within DMA 2. The permits must be purchased online or through mail-in application, and went on sale at the same time antlerless licenses, July 11.
More information on DMA 2 Permits can be found on the CWD page of the Game Commission’s website.
In addition, transporting a harvested deer carcass out of the DMA 2 is prohibited. By leaving behind those parts – skull/brain and spine material -- with the highest-risk of transmitting CWD to other deer, hunters limit the chances the disease will spread to new areas of the state.
In its latest action, the Commission reminded hunters of the importance to be taking CWD seriously. To do otherwise, risks spreading the disease to deer and elk in other parts of Pennsylvania. In the early stages of infection, CWD tends to spread and increase very slowly in wild deer populations. This might cause hunters to have a false sense of security, and take the presence of the disease lightly.
“This is the one disease that has the potential to drastically change deer hunting as we know it,” said Game Commission Wildlife Management Director Wayne Laroche.
Statewide, a total of 5,645 road-killed, hunter-harvested and suspected infected deer were tested for CWD in Pennsylvania during 2015. The Game Commission stepped up sampling efforts within DMA 2 during 2015 in an attempt to enhance monitoring efforts and to estimate a prevalence level of CWD within townships representing the core area of infection within DMA 2. A total of 1,602 samples were collected from deer within DMA 2. Twelve, or 0.75 percent of these, tested CWD positive.
The Game Commission hopes that acting sooner rather than later to put in place active control measures will stop the spread and growth of the disease within the Commonwealth.
“One thing we know is we will not be successful without the support of deer hunters and the general public,” Laroche said. “If we fail to develop and implement an effective control program, we risk the future of deer hunting along with all of the social and economic benefits that wild white-tailed deer and elk provide to the people of Pennsylvania.”
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