Wasting away: The threat to the deer population

Deer hunting in Pennsylvania is a cherished tradition. But as more animals are becoming infected with Chronic Wasting Disease, the more rapidly it's spreading and posing a real threat to the deer population.

CWD is specific to the deer family which includes deer, elk and moose.

It's an abnormal prion, or protein, that affects the brain and nervous system, eventually resulting in death.

“It was first discovered in 1967 in Colorado. Here in Pennsylvania, it was first detected in 2012 in a captive facility in Adams County," said Robert Einodshofer, information and education supervisor with the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

The disease can be transmitted directly, through animal-to-animal contact, or indirectly, through contaminated food and soil.

How can you tell if a deer has the disease?

"It will start showing clinical symptoms of a drooping head, salivation and the classic symptom wasting to where it's neurological system is shutting down and the animal basically looks emaciated," Einodshofer said.

However, Einodshofer said deer infected with CWD may not show signs of infection for 12 or more months.

Following the detection of CWD in both captive and wild deer, the Game Commission established Disease Management Areas (DMAs).

CWD was first found in DMA1 in Adams County, which has seen been eliminated.

It's also been found in DMA2 in Bedford, Blair, Cambria and Fulton counties, as well as DMA3, in Jefferson and Clearfield counties.

Since 2012, officials said they've seen a slow progression in the number of positive cases but the threat is still there.

New to this season, the Game Commission is replacing the former blue barrels hunters previously used with deer head collection boxes.

"Basically, a hunter will pull a bag out, open up the bag and deposit their deer head in the bag, tie it firmly shut and then put the bag in the dumpster," Einodshofer said.

If hunters cooperate and deposit their deer heads in the box where the deer was harvested, the Game Commission hopes they'll be able to determine how prevalent the disease is.

Every few days, the Game Commission collects the heads from the boxes and picks up dead deer along the road.

Wildlife Biologist Wyatt Knepp said they extract two tissues; the lymph nodes and part of the brain stem.

"Those two tissues are the tissues where the prions that cause the disease accumulate the fastest," Knepp said.

Biologists record data from each deer, including where and when it was killed. The tissues are sent to the Pennsylvania Veterinary Laboratory in Harrisburg.

"They'll take a very thin slice of the tissue and they'll dye it, lay it on a slide and look at it under a microscope," Knepp said. "That dye will show any prions that are accumulated in that tissue."

If the deer test positive, they're sent to the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Iowa to be confirmed. Hunters can expect their results within four weeks.

But just as important as the Game Commission's role are the taxidermists and meat processors.

Cliff Cessna has been in the taxidermy business for 42 years in Clearfield County. He said taking in deer from DMA2 has created more precautions he now must follow.

“CWD does cause us some problems," Cessna said. "Hunters can’t bring their deer directly to us. We have to have a drop-off point where we meet them within 5 miles of the unit and cape out the deer. It’s a bit inconvenient and we do a fair number of deer from that unit each year.”

Ed Pudliner has been processing deer for many years in Cambria County. He said he recommends hunters to just avoid hunting in areas where CWD has been found.

"If the deer are that bad, I don't even want them in my place," Pudliner said.

To help prevent the spread of CWD, Pudliner said he must determine if the carcass is from a CWD positive area or not. If it is, he must contact the Game Commission for proper disposal procedures of the high-risk parts.

If the carcass is not from a CWD positive area, Pudliner still has procedures to follow.

"When you skin it, you're supposed to wash and clean that area before you touch anybody else’s deer," Pudliner said. "If you work on your tables, you have to get that meat off and scrub the table clean."

But for many hunters, the concern is if their meat is safe to eat. The Game Commission said right now, there's no evidence that CWD is transmissible to humans.

"However, it is our recommendation that if your deer is positive, do not take the risk and discard the meat," Einodshofer said.

Shooting a deer with CWD is not illegal, in fact the Game Commission encourages it, if you have a valid tag.

"If that deer does come back positive for CWD, everyone has done everyone a favor," Einodshofer said. "We've got an infected deer off the landscape, the hunter helped us out and we'll give them a replacement tag."

The Game Commission is hoping by the end of the season, the head collection boxes will help determine just how widespread CWD is.

They hope hunters understand that that isn't possible without their help.

"It's impossible to change the deers' patterns to help battle this disease, but hunters can change theirs," Einodshofer said.