The Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) employs sharpshooters to cull deer in southern Luzerne County and parts of Carbon County following the confirmation of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in the area. This targeted removal effort, conducted in collaboration with USDA’s Wildlife Services, aims to curb the disease’s spread after two infected deer were discovered earlier this year.
With approval from local landowners, the agency focuses on harvesting and testing deer to assess the disease’s prevalence. So far, none of the 175 deer tested under the program have shown signs of CWD, underscoring the critical nature of these efforts. As the PGC prepares for an extended antlerless deer season in early 2026, officials seek to mitigate the risks posed by the disease before it impacts wildlife further.
Read full story at www.mcall.com
