On March 3, Game Commission Executive Director Bryan Burhans gave the House Game and Fisheries Committee a presentation on the Commission’s 2019 Annual Report highlighting, among other things, that the biggest threat wildlife continues to face is emerging diseases.

He reported 123 deer tested positive for chronic wasting disease out of a total of 9,631 deer tested.  This resulted in the expansion of Disease Management Area 2 by an additional 2,101 square miles.

The Commission published a draft chronic wasting disease management plan last year and made it available to the public for comment.  The plan proposes a variety of management options, including increased tags, longer seasons, removing antler restrictions, and using targeted removals.

To better manage chronic wasting diseases in deer, west nile virus in game birds, white-nose syndrome in bats  and other diseases affecting wildlife, the Commission also established a new partnership between the Commission and the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine called the Pennsylvania Wildlife Futures Program.

The Commission will invest $11 million in the Program over the next five years.

Burhans reported Pennsylvania hunters continue to enjoy some of the best hunting in the agency’s history.  Black bear hunting in particular saw a record harvest in 2019. 

He said the deer management plan continues to translate into great deer hunting with Pennsylvania ranking at or near the top nationally for an array of categories, including the number of antlered deer harvested, number of antlered deer per square mile harvested and more.

Burhans noted the Commission added 6,000 acres to its 1.5 million acre state game lands system.  He said the new acquisitions improved access to existing game lands and two properties contained areas of sensitive habitats for species of greatest conservation need.

“Finally, I would like to add that 2020 represents an important year for the Pennsylvania Game Commission,” said Burhans. “It is the agency's 125th anniversary as well as the 100-year anniversary of the creation of our game lands system.

“These occasions provide the opportunity to remember that the current conditions which we sometimes take for granted - thriving wildlife populations, world class hunting opportunities, and over 1.5 million acres of public hunting land - didn't just happen, but rather they are the product of 125 years of foresight, planning, and hard work by Game Commission employees and our Board of Commissioners,” Burhans said.

“We will be celebrating both events throughout the year, and asking hunters, trappers, and those who care about wildlife to commemorate these milestones with us.”

Click Here for a copy of the 2019 Annual Report.

Click Here for a video of the hearing.  Click Here for the written testimony.

Rep. Keith Gillespie (R-York) serves as Majority Chair of the House Game and Fisheries Committee and can be contacted by calling 717-705-7167 or send email to: kgillesp@pahousegop.com.  Rep. William Kortz (D-Allegheny) serves as Minority Chair and can be contacted by calling 717-780-4783 or send email to: bkortz@pahouse.net.

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[Posted: March 5, 2020]

3/9/2020