It does not surprise me that CWD was found in PA in the wild population. I truly believe that if they were to test a reasonable percentage of wild deer that it would be found in every state and province. I think it would have been found in 1913 as well as 2013. Of course it wont be found where it is not looked for. I hunted in Colorado last year, if I am correct, I believe that the first case ever of CWD was identefied in Colo. in 1967. I saw no shortage of deer on my 2012 hunt and was able to be selective with the animal I harvested (I ate it too). Shouldnt this herd have died off from CWD by now? My opinion is that it is everywhere that cervids are, and has always been there. I believe it is a natural occurance that will always be. As for Missouri, obviosly it will most likely be found in captive herds, because we have to test 100% of our deaths, to comply with the monitoring rules, as compared to the state who tests less than 1 % of the wild whitetails killed in our state. My opinion is that we would be better off as an industry if CWD was found in every state---it is there, they just need to test enough deer to find it.
Darren