Free Testing for Chronic Wasting Disease for Pennsylvania Hunters

Pennsylvania hunters who are concerned about chronic wasting disease (CWD) in deer can now have their kills tested at no cost this fall. For the first time, hunters can drop off deer heads at collection bins throughout the state, regardless of where the deer were harvested.

Joshua Zimmerman, a spokesperson for the Game Commission, stated that any deer head placed in these bins would be tested, expanding past rules that limited submissions to deer shot within specific management areas.

This change is especially beneficial for hunters in Lancaster County, where seven collection bins are available, as it helps alleviate concerns regarding CWD, a fatal illness affecting the central nervous system of deer and elk.

CWD was first discovered in 1967 in captive mule deer in Colorado, with the first wild case identified in 1981. It has gradually spread across North America.

The Game Commission initiated testing for CWD in Pennsylvania in 1998, although the disease wasn’t found in the state until 2012. That year, a captive deer in Adams County tested positive, followed by the first wild case a month later in Bedford and Blair counties.

In recent sampling, the Game Commission tested over 11,000 deer for CWD during the 2024-25 year, with more than 4,400 heads collected from various special collection bins. In Lancaster County, 30 deer were sampled, but none tested positive for the disease. However, statewide, 530 positive cases were confirmed during the same period.

When CWD is detected, a management area is established around the location, leading to increased oversight and special regulations for hunters. For instance, high-risk parts of deer must remain within the management area, and practices like deer feeding and using urine-based lures are prohibited.

Currently, 10 management areas exist in Pennsylvania, primarily covering the southcentral region. Lancaster County mostly falls within management area 4, where CWD was found in captive deer at a farm in 2018 and another case in 2022. Fortunately, wild deer in the county have not yet shown any signs of the disease.

The locations of the head collection bins in Lancaster County include various community centers and parks. Using these bins allows for better tracking of CWD levels and helps hunters make informed decisions about consuming venison.

While there’s no evidence that CWD affects humans, health officials advise against eating meat from infected animals. If hunters wish to test their deer, they must place the head—alongside a filled-out harvest tag—into a sealed plastic bag before depositing it in a collection bin. Antlers should be removed beforehand if the hunter wishes to keep them.

The Game Commission checks these bins bi-weekly during hunting seasons to collect samples for laboratory testing. Hunters receive test results via a postcard and are duly informed if CWD is detected in their sample.

Zimmerman noted that the timeframe for results to be available is about two weeks, though it may vary depending on the season.