Public asked to comment on targeted removal of deer
The Pennsylvania Game Commission has unveiled a draft of its plan to stem the spread of the fatal and contagious chronic wasting disease among the state’s wild and captive herds of deer and elk.
The public will have until Feb. 20 to comment on the plan and it will be revised before being implemented in 2020.
Among the changes proposed are:
• increased antlerless permit allocation
• additional antlered permits
• expanded hunting seasons
• removal of antler point restrictions
• mandatory sampling in Control Units • offer incentive programs • PGC-monitored targeted removal of animals in affected areas
The PGC said its main goals of CWD management in Pennsylvania are: to reduce risks of spreading CWD, to monitor for distribution and prevalence of CWD, to prevent the establishment of CWD in new areas; and to maintain prevalence below 5% in CWD-established areas; and to slow the geographic spread of CWD.
A 37-page PDF of the draft plan is available online, as well as a two-page comment form for the public to fill out.
“Data from other states suggests that with no change, Pennsylvania will reach a CWD prevalence over 30% in the area where CWD was first detected in the next 10-20 years,” the plan states.
The PGC cites several studies that say reducing local deer populations is the only management strategy that has shown any success at stabilizing or reducing prevalence of CWD.
“The Pennsylvania Game Commission, hunters, landowners and others have a responsibility to protect deer and elk populations for current and future generations,” the executive summary of the plan stated.
The $10 million Pennsylvania Wildlife Futures Program will be used in part to help stem the spread of CWD.
Transmission to humans
While there have been no confirmed cases of CWD being transferred to humans, the possibility is still being investigated.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends no one consume CWD-infected meat. Experiments have shown that primates could become infected with CWD by eating infected meat or brain tissue. Advice for hunters Hunters can receive free CWD test results by submitting their deer head to collection sites throughout the state. Locations of head collection bins for the 2019-2020 season were not yet available as of Sunday, Sept. 15.
Anyone hunting in a PGCdesignated disease management area, or DMA, should submit their kill for testing. Part of western Berks County became part of DMA4 in 2018.
“Within the state, it is unlawful to remove or export high-risk cervid parts from a disease management area,” the plan stated. “In addition, it is also unlawful to import high-risk cervid parts from CWD-positive states. As of May 2019, the importation of high-risk cervid parts are prohibited from 26 states and three Canadian provinces.”
High-risk cervid parts are defined as the head (specifically the brain, tonsils, eyes, and retropharyngeal lymph nodes), spinal cord/ backbone, spleen, skull plate with attached antlers if visible brain or spinal cord matter is present, upper canine teeth if root structure or other soft material is present, any object or article containing visible brain or spinal cord material, unfinished taxidermy mounts, or brain-tanned hides.