Pennsylvania Game Commission updates CWD rules, elk applications for hunters

PENNSYLVANIA (WJAC) — Hunters in Pennsylvania will see changes this coming season in how they can handle deer harvested in chronic wasting disease management areas, along with a streamlined elk-hunting application process.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission said the main change to chronic wasting disease regulations involves how hunters can dispose of deer in disease management areas.

Previously, hunters could not take a deer harvested in a disease management area back home.

Under the new rule for the coming season, that will be allowed.

Chronic wasting disease is a neurological disease in cervid animals such as deer and elk that can be spread through saliva, urine and feces.

Game Warden Justin Beltowski of the Game Commission’s Southwest Region said that before the change, transportation of high-risk parts of cervid animals — such as the head or spine — was not allowed outside of a disease management area unless the animal was being taken to a cooperator such as a Game Commission-approved taxidermist or processor.

Beltowski said hunters are now allowed to transport those parts outside of a disease management area as long as they dispose of the parts through a commercial trash service.

If the deer is not field dressed at the harvest area, the spleen also must be placed in the trash.

He said officials are working to make sure hunters understand the rules before the season begins.

Another change affects elk-hunting applications.

Beltowski said the process has been made easier by moving to a single application instead of three.

He also said bonus points earned by hunters who applied in the past — starting in 2003 — will be consolidated into one total.

“So you’ll just put one application in for now and then you’ll have five different options to choose from when it comes to seasons, elk zones, et cetera,” Beltowski said. “And so once you pull that tag, let’s say you get your application and you get it for an antlerless elk or an antlered elk, your points will reset down to zero.”

Beltowski said elk applications open May 1 and will close July 12.

He also said one of the biggest concerns with chronic wasting disease is spread through feeding deer, noting that direct and indirect feeding is prohibited in any established chronic wasting disease management area, which includes much of the region.

The Game Commission said those boundaries may change in the future.

For more information you can visit the Game Commission’s website.