CWD in Bedford County
Pennsylvania
I finally got to hunt for more than a couple of hours. Went back to the SGL I've hunted for decades in Bedford County. Imagine my surprise when I got out of the car and found the signs saying it was a DMA area. I didn't see any deer in the woods today and I'm kind of grateful. Any deer that is killed in the DMA has to be processed before it leaves the DMA. If I want to bone out the meat I still need to find one of the designated dumpsters (supposedly within a half-hour drive) and dispose of the carcass..only the meat can leave the DMA.
On top of that disappointing news...I scouted all over the property today and saw very little sign. It's wonderful cover, lots of grown up clearcuts, plenty of thick areas to hide, fields nearby for food but over the past several years it has been hunted hard and there just aren't that many deer there. I know it will come back but I've reached a point where I may not be able to spend too much time there so I may not see it.
Kind of a bittersweet day.
Phil, this is the second full year of 4A and most of 2C being a Disease Management Area. They are trying to control the spread by getting hunters involved. I have two tags DMA2 and had one last year. Most of the deer are healthy, and over here in 2C we have been seeing some very good bucks and increasing numbers of does and fawns. Of course it matters that there is food for them, but we seem to be fine there as well. Most of the SGL's have dumpsters set up for discarding potentially infected material...head, bones, spine, etc. I know there is one here near Buffalo Mills for that purpose. I've not seen a sick one yet, and less than ten have been noted as far as I know. It extends into Blair, Cambria and Somerset County as well.
Phil, I am lost for words. Roy
George, that's what I heard too. Only a few tested positive. Last year south of 30 was OK. They changed that for this year. Parts of Fulton County are included. I'm hunting in SGL 49.
Never thought I'd see that happen Roy. :)
Out again this morning. Working my way through the noisy leaves to a spot I like I heard a deer walking toward me. It came down the mountain within 20 yards. Broadside. Perfect position. Nice big deer with about 8" spikes.
At least I saw a deer and it was a buck.
No - 49. South of Clearville in Big Creek Road
phil i hunt sprig gobbler on state forest there a lot of area to hunt down there .buchanan state forest
phil i hunt sprig gobbler on state forest there a lot of area to hunt down there .buchanan state forest
There is a lot of ground to hunt. I just keep going back to my old haunts where I've hunted for the last 40 years.
Talked with my friend that has a farm there and he showed me some game camera photos of nice bucks. There's plenty of deer on the private land in that area but not too many on the SGL. It's a shame too because the PGC clearcut the land about 15 years ago and it's grown into very nice cover. I walked most of the SGL in two days and didn't see much sign but kept thinking if there's a deer in this county it should be here. I guess the deer like the peace and quiet of private land better.
phil i was on beg creek road today past millers corners . i did not see any deer but i was busy working .
Joe, you have your priorities screwed up. :)
I was surprised On Saturday that there were only two other deer hunters parked at both parking lots. Everyone else was pheasant hunting.
Phil, I wouldn't worry about the CWD in this area. Our family farm is in Bedford County and we have some of the best fawn recruitment ever this year. Nice number of bucks too. Really have high hopes for next year as we have a number of good bucks this year. I think the PGC is getting just a little over excited about CWD here. Just haven't seen any signs of any issues.
For what its worth route 96 was the dividing line last year. That actually splits our farm. So technically I wasn't even allowed to take a deer to the other part of our own property.
Thanks. An uncle and aunt used to own a place off 96 - just across the covered bridge from Ryot. Spent a lot of time in that part of the world growing up.
