The current status of Chronic Waste Disease following the detection of the disease in both captive and free-ranging deer in Pennsylvania has caused much alarm to sportsmen and the Pa. Game Commission.

So much so that an executive order was issued by the PA Game Commission to establish Disease Management Areas (DMAs). These areas were designated and boundaries were set after confirmed cases of deer with Chronic Waste Disease had been positively identified through laboratory testing by wildlife biologists.

The first case of CWD was detected on a captive deer farm in Adams County in 2012. That was followed by multiple free ranging deer in Bedford, Blair, Cambria and Fulton Counties from 2012-2017. The most recent cases came from a free ranging deer in Clearfield County in 2017. That is getting very close to the PA Wilds area which is the home of the PA Wild Elk Range.

It is known that CWD has been diagnosed in white-tailed deer, mule deer, black-tailed deer, as well as elk, moose and reindeer. Recently a PA trophy bull elk wandered into a Disease Management Area south of I-80 and had to be euthanized because the potential to come back into the prime elk territory raised much risk to the herd.

Although CWD has not been identified with an active case in WMU 2D or 1A, we have plenty of hunters that travel outside of our area to hunt deer, elk and moose. Many regions have been identified by the PGC as high-risk portals and have the importation of high-risk parts prohibited.

These regions include; Alberta, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Saskatchewan, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Check with PGC regulations and your other hunts to determine the legal status of bringing home game from these regions.

As you can see, the restrictions are specific addressing the high-risk carcass parts. High risk parts are where the CWD prion (causative agent) concentration is found. These are found in the head, brain, tonsils, eyes and lymph nodes, spinal cord and vertebrae, and skull plate with attached antlers.

This also includes brain tanned hides, soft materials present, tooth root structures and upper canine teeth. Elk ivory and skull plates with antlers are commonly transported by hunters and is restricted by law.

In Pennsylvania, regulations prohibit the removal or export from any Disease Management Area or the import from any other identified areas.

What precautions should hunters take in Pennsylvania? Hunters should only harvest animals that appear to be healthy, and take reasonable precautions like wearing rubber gloves while field dressing an animal.

Washing of hands and equipment in a solution of hot soapy water and bleach will help minimize the spread of any diseases. Boning out your meat while harvesting your game and not cutting through or across the spine area will help reduce risk.

Ask your processor to process your meat individually and not be put in a “batch” for processing. Many hunters now process their own meat to ensure quality control if there is any doubt.

If you harvest an animal in a DMA, free testing is available. Deposit the head of your deer into any CWD Collection Container. The harvest tag must be filled out completely, legible and physically attached to the deer’s ear. The head must then be placed in a plastic garbage bag and sealed before placed in the bin. You will be notified of the test results.

Generally, I would not travel to a high-risk area to hunt deer in Pa. unless I lived in the area. It appears to place a lot of responsibility on the hunter to check if his game is safe to consume.

The CDC recommends that people do not eat meat from animals that test positive for CWD. Studies show that some tests with non-human primates, that eat meat from infected animals have raised concerns.

According to the CDC. no chronic waste disease infections have been reported in humans. The conclusion that I come up with is that all hunters should be cautious and share their harvest only if it’s the highest quality of healthy game in their judgment.

When in doubt, I do not consume any kind of meat, wild or farm raised to make sure that we always have quality table fare.

Many hunters depend on meat processors and taxidermists in the areas that they hunt to handle their trophies. When preparing mounts for transport back to Pennsylvania, you need to have special attention with hides and skulls with the antlers attached.

There can be some serious legal and environmental impacts as a result of being unaware of your obligations for safe transport. No responsible hunter wants to be the cause of CWD spread to our home areas.

Jay Hewitt is an outdoors columnist for the Butler Eagle