Deer hunters who hunt in areas with Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) may have an extra rifle antlerless deer season next winter.
The Game Commission is reviewing harvest data from the recent hunting seasons to determine if enough deer were killed to reduced the spread of the disease.
If not, the agency may approve in April an extended firearms antlerless deer season Jan. 2-20 in certain areas of WMUS 2C, 2E, 4A, 4D, and 5A in southcentral Pennsylvania. The season would be held a week after the start of the flintlock and archery seasons.
CWD is a neurological disease that is fatal to deer. It was first detected in Pennsylvania in 2012 and has spread to several counties in southcentral Pennsylvania.
The agency had 261 deer test positive for CWD out of 8,998 samples in 2023-24. In the hunting year 2022-23, 426 of 11,291 deer tested positive for the disease.
“Within the last year or so we hit two milestones, for a lack of a better word," Andrea Korman, Chronic Wasting Diseasesection supervisor with the game commission, said to the board of commissioners Friday.
“The first one being the prevalence in (Wildlife Management Unit) 4A has gotten to the point where one out of every three adult deer (submitted for testing by hunters) were positive,” she said. The WMU includes parts of Bedford, Blair, Huntingdon, Fulton and Franklin counties.
“Secondly, we found our first free-ranging detection on the east side of the Susquehanna River. One of the goals of the agency’s CWD response plan is to reduce sample prevalence and spread of the disease. Unfortunately, there are limited ways in which to do that. One of those ways is to reduce deer abundance in and around affected areas. This helps limit deer interactions and in turn minimizes CWD deer infections and spread.”
David Stainbrook, deer and elk section supervisor for the agency, said even though the first detection was made in 2012, it took about six years before the agency offered additional antlerless deer licenses to reduce the size of the herd. He said the number of deer killed has not been enough to reduce the spread of the disease to other parts of the state.
The number of antlerless deer licenses in 2023-24 hunting year was increased in the CWD areas in an attempt to have an additional two deer shot per square mile to reduce the spread of the disease.
The agency is now at a point where it has a challenge selling all of the antlerless licenses in certain parts of the state.
“We tend to see a saturation occur as we’re trying to give out about twice as many antlerless licenses in a unit as we have hunters purchasing those licenses,” Stainbrook said. “Further increases may not sell out, like we have seen in (WMU) 4A or it may sell out but those additional licenses have a lower success rate."
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Going forward, the staff is working on the harvest rates of the recent hunting seasons to see if the goals have been met.
"We do have fewer hunters than we had in the past. We’re seeing a decline and we’re seeing that a little more rapidly in these CWD units, especially 4A,” he said.
To meet the goal, Stainbrook said hunters need more time to hunt.
Korman said they will be reviewing the rate of license sales and harvest rates to determine if any of the five WMUs needs to have an extended rifle season.
On Saturday, the board gave preliminary approval to the 2024-25 hunting and trapping seasons and bag limits, and will decide on the extra antlerless season at its April 13 meeting.
Other hunting season changes proposed
Several other modifications have also been proposed for the upcoming hunting year:
- For black bear, the October muzzleloader season is proposed to be shortened to three days from a seven-day season to reduce harvest rates on female bears.
- Pheasant hunting within the Central Susquehanna Wild Pheasant Recovery Area (WPRA) is currently limited to youth participants drawn in a lottery. The agency has proposed to eliminate the age restriction and permit requirements and provide the executive director the authority to annually designate WPRAs to be opened to hunting and establish appropriate season date(s) and bag limits.
- A proposal to include mentored hunters of all ages to be eligible to hunt in the early October pheasant season segment, known best as the Junior Hunt.
- For wild turkey, fall season length changes are proposed for numerous Wildlife Management Units (WMU). Season length would be increased in 11 WMUs and WMU 5A, which was previously closed to fall hunting, would be opened for a 3-day season. Season length would be reduced in two WMUs (3D and 4C).
- For furbearers,WMU 2D is proposed to be opened to bobcat hunting and trapping. Also, the fisher trapping season is proposed to be increased by one week in all WMUs open to fisher harvest. This will allow concurrent fisher and bobcat trapping seasons.
The public may offer comments on all proposed 2024-25 seasons and bag limits found online at pgc.pa.gov, as well as other board actions, between now and the board’s April 13 meeting, when 2024-25 seasons and bag limits will be finalized, and antlerless deer license allocations will be determined.
Brian Whipkey is the outdoors columnist for USA TODAY Network sites in Pennsylvania. Contact him atbwhipkey@gannett.com and sign up for our weekly Go OutdoorsPA newsletter email on this website's homepage under your login name.Follow him on Facebook@whipkeyoutdoors, and Instagram atwhipkeyoutdoors.
Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
About Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD)
As an enthusiast and expert in wildlife management and conservation, I have extensive knowledge of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) and its impact on deer populations. CWD is a neurological disease that is fatal to deer and has been a growing concern in Pennsylvania since its first detection in 2012. The disease has spread to several counties in southcentral Pennsylvania, prompting the Game Commission to take proactive measures to mitigate its impact on deer populations and prevent further spread.
Review of Harvest Data and Proposed Measures
The Game Commission is currently reviewing harvest data from recent hunting seasons to assess whether enough deer were culled to effectively reduce the spread of CWD. If the data indicates that the disease has not been sufficiently controlled, the agency may approve an extended firearms antlerless deer season from January 2-20 in specific areas of Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) 2C, 2E, 4A, 4D, and 5A in southcentral Pennsylvania. This extended season would be held a week after the start of the flintlock and archery seasons, providing hunters with additional opportunities to help manage deer populations in affected areas.
Impact of CWD and Agency Response
The prevalence of CWD in Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) 4A has reached a critical point, with one out of every three adult deer submitted for testing by hunters testing positive for the disease. Additionally, the agency has identified the first free-ranging detection of CWD on the east side of the Susquehanna River, highlighting the need for proactive measures to limit the spread of the disease.
To address the challenge posed by CWD, the agency has increased the number of antlerless deer licenses in affected areas, aiming to have an additional two deer shot per square mile to reduce the spread of the disease. However, the agency has encountered challenges in selling all of the antlerless licenses in certain parts of the state, indicating a need for further strategies to manage deer populations in CWD-affected areas.
Proposed Hunting Season Changes
In addition to the potential extended firearms antlerless deer season, several other modifications have been proposed for the upcoming hunting year, including changes to black bear, pheasant, wild turkey, and furbearer hunting seasons. These proposed changes aim to address specific wildlife management needs and optimize hunting opportunities while considering the impact of CWD on deer populations.
Public Engagement and Decision-Making Process
The public has the opportunity to offer comments on all proposed 2024-25 hunting seasons and bag limits, as well as other board actions, between now and the board’s April 13 meeting, when the final decisions will be made. This inclusive approach allows stakeholders to contribute to the decision-making process and ensures that the management strategies align with the interests of hunters and conservationists.
In conclusion, the Game Commission's proactive approach to managing CWD and its impact on deer populations reflects a commitment to wildlife conservation and sustainable hunting practices. The ongoing review of harvest data and the consideration of proposed hunting season changes demonstrate a comprehensive effort to address the challenges posed by CWD while engaging the public in the decision-making process.
For more detailed information, you can visit the Pennsylvania Game Commission's official website at pgc.pa.gov.
