With several Pennsylvania deer seasons underway, the state Game Commission announced last week that the detection of chronic wasting disease at another fenced deer farm will result in an expansion of Disease Management Area 4 to include almost all of Lancaster County.
The exact adjusted boundary will not be announced until after further CWD surveillance is completed by Jan. 25, the close of the 2019-20 hunting seasons.
The Game Commission is requesting the help of hunters now. Those who harvest deer in Lancaster County are asked to be particularly diligent in double-bagging and disposing of high-risk deer parts, and by submitting deer heads in collection containers provided throughout the DMA by the Game Commission. Find head-collection containers by visiting the interactive map on the CWD page at the agency’s website, pgc.pa.gov.
The testing of deer heads helps hunters, too, by determining whether CWD is detected in their harvest. Chronic wasting disease has not been proven to affect people, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends against consuming the meat of CWD-positive animals.
For more information on CWD, call 1-833-INFO-CWD.
Student wins fishing scholarship
Austin Aikins of Central Catholic High School in Oakland placed 14th out of 46 anglers in the Big Bass Junior Championship on Lake Pend Oreille, Idaho, on Oct 19.
Austin caught eight smallmouths with the biggest weighing 2.13 pounds. It wasn't a win, but as a result of his hookups Austin was offered a $28,000 scholarship to attend Bethel University in Tennessee, considered one of America's leading college fishing powerhouses.
"I had an awesome time in Idaho. Weather was cold and fishing was tough but the whole experience was amazing," said the Lower Burrell teen. "I was super excited about the fishing scholarship to Bethel University. To be a part of an awesome program like that would be a dream come true."
2019 has been a standout year for Austin. He and his Central Catholic teammate, Richard Shulik of Brookline, recently placed third in the Pennsylvania High School State Championship Bass Tournament at Shenango River Lake. Austin was also named to the 2019 BassMaster High School All State Team, participated in the Costa FLW Camp in Kentucky this summer and was offered a position on the pro staff at Picasso lures, based in Indiana, Pa.
Steelhead and gear
Jake Villwock, owner and head guide for Relentless Fly Fishing, will share tactics on Lake Erie steelhead during a free Simms trunk show featuring new fly tackle, gear, apparel and accessories. 2-8 p.m. Nov. 5 at International Angler, 5275 Steubenville Pike in Robinson, 412-788-8088, ia2@internationalangler.com, internationalangler.com.
First Published: October 24, 2019, 5:41 p.m.