PA Game Commission considers ban on deer lure
PA Game Commission considers ban on deer lure
By Tyler Frantz
As the whitetail rut kicks into full swing, the use of doe-in-estrous scents and other urine-based deer lures can be one of the deadliest strategies hunters employ to tip the odds in their favor, as they effectively draw love-struck bucks in close for a shot.
But those who call the shots, at least when it comes to regulated hunting in Pennsylvania, are now wondering if these scents can be deadly in more literal terms- specifically, in their relationship to the potential spread of Chronic Wasting Disease.
According to Pennsylvania Game Commission Press Secretary Travis Lau, there has recently been a discussion about a possible prohibition on the use and possession of natural urine-based deer attractants as a result of the CWD scare in the state.
The subject came up at the August working group session of the Board of Game Commissioners and was revisited in their September meeting, when they asked PGC staff to provide a more in-depth update on the issue.
“Because CWD prions are contained in urine, and there's currently no practical and cost-effective way to test urine for the presence of CWD, there is potential for urine-based attractants to be spreading CWD,” Lau said.
Though CWD, a transmissible neurological disease causing brain lesions, behavioral abnormalities and death in deer species, has been around for quite some time, there are still many uncertainties- such as how to test live captive deer and how to best control the spread of the disease. But the biologists are working on it.
“Staff here has met with industry representatives to discuss this, and I'm sure this dialogue will continue. There is talk of new technology that would ensure urine to be sold is CWD-free. I think it's safe to say the discussion is continuing at this point,” Lau said.
Lau added that Wayne Laroche, head of the Game Commission’s Bureau of Wildlife Management, said the deer-lure industry is looking at ways to certify the animals used in the production of urine-based deer attractants to ensure they are CWD-free.
Rick Lowe of Lowe’s Whitetail Deer Scents, Landisburg, has been in the deer urine collection business for over twenty years. While he admits a ban on urine-based scents would be detrimental to his company, he understands the need to protect Pennsylvania’s deer herd.
“They’re just trying to do what they can to ensure our kids get a chance to experience deer hunting the way we have,” Lowe said of the Game Commission’s fact-finding mission. “I’m not going to be selfish and say I only want to sell scents; I want what’s best for the future of our sport.”
“Sure, it’s going to hurt a lot of people in the industry, but I’m glad they are not ignoring the problem. It’s good that they’re looking for answers,” he said.
“I just hope they base their findings on some clear, hard facts without making any hasty decisions,” Lowe said. “I don’t think it’s really fair to say, ‘Hey, you can’t use urine at all’ without having some reasonable facts behind it.”
Lowe said the discovery of CWD in the state’s deer herd has already affected his business to some extent. He is currently at the point where he could expand and add another building to meet customer demand. However, he is reluctant to invest any more money in his company with such an uncertain future in the industry. “I’m kind of at a stand still,” he said. “But we’ve already begun the process of preparing for what may come down the line.”
Lowe’s company already offers a generic synthetic deer lure that is made without urine, as well as several different types of cover scents that include deer bedding scents using body odor, but not urine.
“It really will depend on the language they choose if they decide to ban it,” Lowe explained. “If they simply say no urine, I may still be able to get by with my cover scents and just develop more synthetic lures, but that obviously takes time. If they say no deer scents at all, then that’s a different story.”
Lowe did add that he’d be more than willing to comply with any advanced testing requirements for urine collection if the Game Commission decided to choose a more regulatory prevention route instead of a complete ban.
“I’m truly glad they are looking into it and trying to solve this problem,” Lowe said. “At the end of the day, we all need to work together and do what’s best for our deer herd.”
The next Commissioners meeting will be a working group session held in Harrisburg on January 4th. These meetings are strictly informational sessions between PGC Staff and the Board of Commissioners, and official action cannot be taken. The session is open to the public, but does not allow for public comment.
The first official meeting dedicated to hearing public comment is scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 31st. The board will hear staff reports on Monday, Feb. 1st and will take up its regular agenda on Tuesday, Feb. 2nd. The meeting agenda will be posted on the PGC website closer to the meeting date, but further consideration regarding deer urine is a likely to be a key topic of discussion.
0 Response to " PA Game Commission considers ban on deer lure"
Post a Comment