Deer-rifle season to open as officials warn of disease

Effect of chronic wasting sickness on humans still unknown

As up to 800,000 licensed hunters gear up for Saturday's opening day of Pennsylvania's deer-rifle season, state officials are encouraging those who harvest in Blair, Bedford and Fulton counties to have their deer heads tested for chronic wasting disease.

Rifle season runs through Dec. 9 except for Sunday, Dec. 3, according to the commission's website.

The disease affects the nervous systems and is fatal to white-tailed deer. Currently, there's no indication that the disease affects humans who eat potentially infected deer meat, state officials said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is currently testing what risk the disease may have to humans.

Since it takes several years before symptoms of the disease appear, scientists expect the study to take many years before they'll be able to determine what risk, if any, the disease poses to humans.

Justin Vreeland, a Game Commission biologist for the area, said chronic wasting disease is caused by malformed proteins called prions. He said it spreads through animal-to-animal contact and animal-to-environment-to-animal contact.

"Once (the prion) gets into the digestive system, it then migrates into the nervous system in the deer and then gradually, over the course of many years, migrates to the brain where it causes the body's immune system to basically attack itself," he said.

He said other prion protein diseases, such as mad cow disease, have been known to affect humans.

"If a human consumes beef from a mad-cow infected cow, they can become infected with a human version of the disease," Vreeland said. "There's no evidence that can happen with venison. But, with an abundance of caution, we recommend against that."

The state has detected around 1,400 deer with chronic wasting disease.

According to Vreeland, most of the detections come from the "established area" of southern Blair and northern Bedford and Fulton counties. He said the commission often receives additional detections every day.

Animals that become infected can look normal and healthy for up to five years, he said. On average, deer take 18 to 24 months before they show signs of the disease, such as looking frail, skinny or confused.

"Most people are not going to see sick or unhealthy-looking animals," he said. "It's absolutely impossible to tell if an animal has it just by looking at it."

Michael Beahm, the Game Commission's south central regional director, said chronic wasting disease was first discovered in Pennsylvania in this region in 2012.

"Currently, one out of three deer (in the established area) seems to be testing positive for chronic wasting disease," he said.

When hunters harvest deer, Beahm said they can place the heads to any of the Game Commission's bins located throughout the state if they want to have the head tested. He said locations can be found on the Game Commission's website.

Beahm said the state's sales of hunting licenses are "higher than average" this year, with over 800,000 sold.

He said hunters should be aware there is no extended bear season in some of the region's wildlife management units this year.

Local gun shops are preparing for an increased consumer demand of ammunition and other hunting supplies. However, some have said they're still not as busy as they used to be before the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Over the past two years, it got quite slow for quite a while. (Business is) coming back," said Robert Whitaker, a counter sales associate at Campbell's Sporting Goods in Hollidaysburg.

Whitaker said he mostly sells licenses for the various animals that can be hunted.

Ken Westover, owner of Allegheny Trade Co. in Duncansville, said he's able to order a lot of ammunition, but it's still "hard to get specific brands."

"This year hasn't been as good as others," he said, adding he thinks inflation in the economy prevents hunters from spending.

"That's another factor, and I'd agree with that," said Whitaker.