AI was utilized in the writing of this article.
Get your simplified state hunting regulations delivered right to your email. Sign up for Huntlink – Wild Advisor Pro by Rancher’s Ridge.
Jimmy Dean
January 30, 2024
The Pennsylvania Game Commission is contemplating an extended firearms antlerless deer season in specific Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) due to the prevalence of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). This decision is based on the need to effectively manage and reduce the spread of CWD, a fatal neurological disease affecting deer populations.
Chronic Wasting Disease in Pennsylvania
- CWD Prevalence: First detected in Pennsylvania in 2012, CWD has continued to spread, particularly in southcentral counties.
- Recent Data: In the 2023-24 hunting year, 261 deer tested positive for CWD out of 8,998 samples, showing a significant presence of the disease.
Proposed Extended Season
- Duration and Location: The proposed season, from January 2-20, would follow the start of the flintlock and archery seasons, focusing on WMUs 2C, 2E, 4A, 4D, and 5A.
- Goal: To decrease deer abundance in affected areas, thereby reducing deer interactions and minimizing CWD spread.