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Game Commission Starts Random Testing for CWD with Rifle Deer Season Underway

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With rifle deer season in full swing, the Pennsylvania Game Commission has started taking some samples from hunter-killed deer.   The commission wants to make sure Chronic Wasting Disease, or CWD, has not spread into Pennsylvania. 

They’re taking samples of brain tissue from about four thousand hunter killed deer, collecting the samples from deer processors.  Spokesman Jerry Feaser says the testing is even more crucial with the disease found in Maryland.  He says the testing is focused throughout the state, but there’s a special emphasis on counties north of the Maryland line.  These include Bedford, Fulton, Franklin, Adams and York Counties.

Hunters are asked to report deer that are acting oddly or appear to be sick, and not take unhealthy deer. Feaser says deer that have their head or ears drooping down, are drooling or have a thick, rough hair coat could have the disease.

The commission does a random sample to make sure they’re getting adequate representation from across the state.  The testing requires brain matter from the deer. Feaser says for the most part, hunters don’t even know they’re collecting it.

CWD is fatal to deer and other cervids.  There is no treatment for it.   It has not been shown to affect humans. However, Feaser says hunters should still take precautions in the field, such as using gloves to field dress the deer and thoroughly washing knives used to field dress or butcher the deer.  He says those knives should not be used for other purposes.

 

 

***Photo by Joe Kosack, courtesy the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

Black Bear Attacks Perry County Couple in Their Home

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    In what Pennsylvania Game Commission officials are calling a very rare occurrence, a black bear crashed into a Perry County home and attacked a couple early Monday morning.

    It happened around 4am, as the couple was letting their dog back inside the home. The bear was in pursuit of the canine, which is understandable according to Jerry Feaser at the Game Commission. He says dogs and bears “don’t get along at all,” and it’s not unusual for them to get into confrontations outside. Feaser says it is very unusual for a bear to then attack humans. The man was bitten and scratched, and the woman was also attacked. Both were taken to a hospital for treatment.

    A Wildlife Conservation Officer was dispatched to look for the bear, but it remained in the wild as of daybreak. Feaser says if they find the bear responsible for the attack, it will likely be put down, but because this occurred in a rural area, there could be several bears in the vicinity.

 

Good News and Bad News for Fall Pheasant Stocking

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The Pennsylvania Game Commission has some updated figures on the number of pheasants lost due to flooding.  They’ve recovered about 8 to 9 thousand of the birds they thought were lost to flooding from Tropical Storm Lee. Those birds were still running around outside the holding pens.  In addition,   there was not quite as much damage to two of the agency’s game farms in Lycoming County as first feared.

Game Commission spokesman Jerry Feaser says the flooding at the Loyalsock and Northcentral game farms did not impact core equipment or resources they will need to ramp up pheasant production next year.  They expect to take the number of birds to the 200,000 level.

Feaser says some of the buildings, like the hatcheries, just got a little flood water inside, and need clean up.  For the most part, all of the mechanized and computerized equipment escaped damage.  He says the barns, workshops, farm equipment and water lines in the fields were all relatively untouched.

However, because of the loss of about 31,000 pheasants, they’ll only be able to stock about 74 thousand birds this year. The commission had planned to stock just over 100,000.

***Photo of Ring Necked Pheasant by Joe Kosack/PGC Photo

Flooding From Lee Causes Damage to Game Commission Properties

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Flooding from Tropical Storm Lee has taken at toll on property owned by the state Game Commission.   Damage is still being assessed, but is expected to be in the millions.

The losses include thousands of pheasants at two Lycoming County game farms, Loyalsock and Northcentral,  that were killed or escaped.  There was also damage to buildings and holding fields at the farms.  

Game Commission Executive Director Carl Roe says nearly 30 to 40 thousand pheasants that had been raised and ready for release for this fall’s hunting season have perished or escaped.  He says they’re doing what they can to recapture those that escaped, but the losses could total up to 40% of the total pheasant production planned for this year.

Roe says these are significant losses that will force them to re-evaluate fall stocking plans.  He says it’s too late in the season to raise additional pheasants or purchase birds from private property owners to replace these losses.  Roe adds the facilities were recently improved using Growing Greener II dollars.  He says the damage could jeopardize plans to double production next year.

There was also road and bridge damage state game lands 12, 36, 57 and 211 in Bradford, Wyoming, Luzerne, Dauphin and Lebanon Counties. Roe says roadways on state games lands 12 and 36 are impassable and several bridges are gone as flood waters washed them away. State game lands 57 had considerable road damage from flooding. State game lands 211   had the old railroad grade washed out in several places.  He says the damage forced postponement of the public tours planned in October for those game lands.

***Photo of Ring Necked Pheasant by Joe Kosack/PGC Photo

Farm Bureau Firm in Opposition to Sunday Hunting

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The Pennsylvania Farm Bureau is reaffirming its opposition to Sunday hunting, following a resolution adopted by state game officials on Tuesday.   

 The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners adopted a resolution to support Sunday hunting, by a 4 to 3 vote with one commissioner abstaining.  The resolution urges the General Assembly to repeal the ban, citing consistent declines in hunting participation by resident and nonresident hunters over the past several decades.  The resolution says Sunday hunting is an effective means of recruiting new hunters and is expected to generate a substantial increase in out-of-state license sales. Game Commission staff will present the resolution to the House Game and Fisheries Committee, which has been holding public hearings on the issue.

Pennsylvania Farm Bureau spokesman Mark O’Neill says farmers are overwhelmingly opposed to any expansion of Sunday hunting.  The reasons include basic property rights, wanting a day of quiet on their farms, and religious reasons.

O’Neill says farmers and other private land owners own about 80% of the huntable land in Pennsylvania. They feel strongly that their opinions should be taken very seriously.

O’Neill says farmers are also concerned that the legislature could leave a final decision up to the Board of Game Commissioners. He says there has been legislation in the past that would have done that, and they expect legislation to be proposed  later this year.  He says that’s also something the Farm Bureau strongly opposes.

O’Neill adds that farmers are not the only ones who want a day of rest from hunting.  He says hikers, bikers, horseback riders and others take advantage of  Sundays.