Chronic Wasting Disease creeping into region
There’s some unwelcome news for deer and deer hunters here in our southeastern corner of the Commonwealth: Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), already infecting too many whitetails in central Pennsylvania, is now at our doorstep. As a result, come next hunting season, people who live and hunt deer within parts of Lancaster, Lebanon and Berks counties will need to comply with special rules intended to slow the spread of this disease which is deadly to whitetail deer.
That’s because the Pennsylvania Game Commission recently established Disease Management Area 4 (DMA 4) in response to a CWD-positive deer recently detected at a captive deer farm in Lancaster County.
DMA 4 encompasses 346 square miles in northeastern Lancaster County, southeastern Lebanon County and western Berks County. The northern part of DMA 4 runs roughly between the cities of Lebanon and Reading. The DMA includes the boroughs of Adamstown, Denver, Ephrata, Mohnton, Richland, Womelsdorf and Wyomissing. State Game Lands 46, 220, 225, 274 and 425 are included in DMA 4.
Within DMAs, special rules apply. The intentional feeding of deer is prohibited. Hunters may not use urine-based deer attractants or possess them while afield. And hunters who harvest deer within a DMA may not transport the carcass outside the DMA without first removing and properly disposing of all high-risk deer parts, including the head and backbone. While the rules might pose an inconvenience, they are meant to slow the spread of CWD, which so far has been detected in only a few parts of the state.
“CWD is an increasing problem in Pennsylvania, and as the disease emerges in new areas, more Pennsylvanians are impacted,” said Game Commission Executive
Director Bryan Burhans. “To this point, however, CWD has been detected in captive or free-ranging deer only in a few, isolated areas of the state. That’s good news for all Pennsylvanians who enjoy deer and deer hunting. And we continue to focus our resources on ways to minimize CWD’s impacts statewide.”
CWD, which is always fatal to deer, elk and other cervids, first was detected in Pennsylvania in 2012 at a captive deer farm in Adams County. CWD has been detected among free-ranging deer in two areas of the state. In addition to establishing DMA 4, the Game Commission will increase its CWD sampling there.
Within DMA 4, the agency will begin testing all known road-killed deer for CWD. Come hunting season, bins for the collection of deer heads and other highrisk deer parts will be placed in areas for the public to use. Hunters who deposit the heads of the deer they harvest in designated collection bins will be able to have their deer tested, free of charge. And DMAP permits for use within DMA 4 will be available for purchase.
Wayne Laroche, the Game Commission’s special assistant for CWD response, said increased sampling within DMA 4 is necessary to find out whether CWD exists among free-ranging deer there and adjust the response accordingly. “We need to know the full extent of the CWD problem in any area where the disease exists,” Laroche said. “We have not detected CWD among free-ranging deer in DMA 4, and maybe we won’t. But if CWD is out there, we surely need to know about it to confront it head-on.”
Information on CWD and Pennsylvania’s DMAs, including maps of all DMAs, is available at www.pgc.pa.gov. TROUT SEASON ON THE HORIZON » While the 2018 deer season is still months away, trout season is right around the corner. Trout stocking efforts in our region’s lakes and streams is now at full throttle. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, along with local clubs like the West Chester Fish, Game, and Wildlife Association and the Brandywine Trout and Conservation Club have been loading our waterways up with freshly stocked rainbow, brook, and brown trout in preparation for our regional opening day set for March 31. The statewide season kicks off two weeks later on April 14. FISH COMISSION FISHING REPORTS » In Berks County’s Lake Ontelaunee anglers are catching crappies not only out of the Peters Cove Section of the lake, but out of the main body of the lake as well. Anglers have been tracking the wind and braving the cold to not only get crappie out of the Lake along Rte 73, but also on the east side of the lake off Maiden Creek Rd. Jig Heads with rubber grubs seem to be doing the trick. In Chester County the Middle Branch of White Clay Creek, Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only, Trophy Select, section was stocked with trout on Thursday, March 8. This section is also Keystone Select Trout Waters. Two years ago our Southeast PA Fisheries Manager and biologist conducted a stream survey of the area at two different times on Saturday about three hours apart. Just about 60 anglers were surveyed and there was about a 50/50 split of fly anglers to lure anglers. They reported catching over 80 trout, over 20 of which were over 14 inches. A fly angler faired the best, he was using streamers and caught eight trout. Lure fishermen reported that trout magnets did well. NATURE NIGHT HIKE » The Brandywine Red Clay Alliance will host a night hike for kids (and adults) of all ages from 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 26. Experience the magic of BRC’s property after dark. Hike to their pond and listen for the frogs and see how many species you can identify. Look to the skies for our winged friends and see how many you can count. Bring a flashlight and wear sturdy, weather proof shoes suitable for uneven trails. Cost for members is $5; non-members $8. The program takes place at the H.E. Myrick Conservation Center located at 1760 Unionville-Wawaset Rd (Route 842)in West Chester, PA. Register online at bandywineredclay.org or call (610)793-109.