Deer disease hits southern Indiana

[Woody Williams]

As we reported a few days ago.....


Deer disease hits southern Indiana
---------------------------------------

A viral disease called EHD appears to be infecting, and often killing, white-tailed deer in southern Indiana.

EHD is not normally found in domestic animals, and is not transmissible to humans.

Hoosier hunters and landowners have recently been finding and reporting to the Department of Natural Resources an unusual number of dead wild deer in Daviess, Dubois, Gibson, Jackson, Jefferson, Perry, Pike, Spencer, Warrick, and Washington counties.

Investigations by DNR biologists point to a viral disease called EHD (Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease), transmitted by small flying insects called biting midges.

The Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study in Athens, Ga. confirmed, from samples submitted by DNR wildlife biologists, that EHD is the cause of some of these mortalities.

Additional samples are being analyzed by SCWDS.

This year's EHD outbreak is starting earlier than in past years, and earlier than last fall's outbreak in west-central Indiana.

Many EHD-infected deer were found last year in Greene, Clay, Owen, Parke, Putnam, Sullivan, Vermillion, Fountain and Vigo counties.

DNR deer biologists do not expect the outbreak will cause significant deer mortality in areas where the disease hit last fall due to residual immunity in those animals.

However, the early onset of this year's outbreak and drought conditions that provide excellent reproductive conditions for the midges, may lead to significant wild deer mortality in southern Indiana this fall.

"It's likely that a good number of deer have been and will be lost," said DNR Deer Management Biologist Jim Mitchell.

EHD infected animals have also been reported this month in Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.

EHD causes severe flu-like symptoms in the deer, including a high fever. Infected deer seek open water in streams or ponds to cool off. Many of the reported dead deer were found near water.

Sick deer may lose their appetite, coordination and their fear of normal dangers. Animals become dehydrated and progressively weaker, with mouth and eye tissue often showing a rosy or bluish color.

Indiana deer hunters are asked to observe deer they intend to take for a brief time. If the deer's posture or behavior indicates the deer may be sick, don't harvest it.

There appears to be no risk associated with direct exposure to or consumption of an EHD-infected deer.

Use common sense when cleaning and preparing any deer. Never kill or eat a sick deer. Use rubber gloves. Be sure meat is cooked thoroughly to kill any bacteria or organisms that may be present.

EHD should not be confused with the unrelated brain disease, Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), which has never been found in Indiana.

EHD usually affects local deer populations until a few hard freezes kill the biting midges that spread the disease.

Hoosiers can report sick deer to their local District Wildlife Biologist, Conservation Officer, or the Board of Animal Health. Contact information is listed in the Indiana Hunting and Trapping Guide and at:
www.IN.gov/dnr/fishwild/huntguide1/wbiolo.htm

More EHD information:
www.in.gov/dnr/deerhealth/EHD_Fact_Sheet.pdf

[Deleted]

been working down in morganfield ky. hunters telling me they might losre 40% of there herd down there

[drs]

duck said:

been working down in morganfield ky. hunters telling me they might losre 40% of there herd down there

They (Kentucky) also have it in Muhlenberg County, and several other counties.

[Woody Williams]

I went up early this am and hung a treestand.

I then walked back into the spoil bank area behind my place to check the stripper pits for dead deer. I did not find any around 2 big waterholes.

This stuff is spotty and hope fully it skipped my area.. Fingers crossed..

[Sleazy E]

I am going out tomorrow to check out my hunting area's..... and hang a few more stands.... I hope to have good new to report upon my return.

[M4Madness]

Tennessee is having problems as well:

By Bryan Brasher (Contact)
Friday, August 17, 2007

A disease that causes whitetail deer to develop high fever, drink water incessantly and bleed gruesomely has been noted all over Tennessee, leading wildlife officials to fear that one of the state's worst outbreaks is imminent.

Alan Peterson, a wildlife biologist with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, has received reports of epizootic hemorrhagic disease from across the state during the past few weeks, including a possible outbreak at Ames Plantation in Grand Junction.


Reports of the disease are coming in earlier this year -- and from a much wider range than usual.

"We hear reports of EHD just about every summer," Peterson said. "But they usually don't start coming in until late August when hunters re-enter the woods for squirrel season. Even then, they're usually confined to one or two areas.

"This certainly seems to be something different."

Peterson said he has had "lots and lots" of EHD cases reported from more than a dozen counties, including Chester, Hardin, Decatur and Benton.

He said the possible outbreak at Ames is the first report he's heard from a county "near the Mississippi River."

When reports first started coming in, TWRA officials gathered tissue samples from deer carcasses and sent them to be analyzed at the University of Georgia's Whitehall Deer Research Facility in Athens, Ga. Biologists there confirmed EHD and said the outbreak is affecting deer all over the Southeastern United States.

"They said it's happening in Virginia, Alabama, North Carolina -- all over the place," Peterson said. "That certainly suggests that weather conditions might be playing a role."

EHD is a blood-borne disease transmitted to deer by a species of biting fly that is common across the Mid-South and Southeastern United States. Because much of the region is mired in a three-year drought, water is scarce and many deer are forced to drink from the same pools.

"That just concentrates the deer population and gives these biting flies an opportunity to infect more animals in one spot," Peterson said.

When deer are infected with EHD, they begin showing symptoms within seven days.

Deer with lesser strains develop a high fever and seek out water immediately.

They often have pronounced swelling of the head, tongue, neck and eyelids and may have trouble breathing.

"For us, it would be like having the flu with no air-conditioning," said Dr. Allan Houston, a wildlife biologist from Ames Plantation.

Deer with highly virulent strains of the disease experience internal hemorrhaging and often bleed from their mouths and anuses.

Death often occurs one to three days after symptoms emerge.

Peterson said the disease has greatly affected single-county deer populations in the past and could certainly have a dire statewide effect this year if the outbreaks are more widespread.

Houston said Ames officials began finding dead deer in July -- and though he cannot confirm the cause of death, he said the outward signs certainly point to EHD.

He is also concerned that widespread EHD outbreaks, combined with harsh environmental conditions could have significant long-term effects on the state deer population.

"We had an unusual freeze in April that killed a large portion of the mast crop," Houston said. "When you consider that, plus a harsh summer, plus an EHD outbreak and a hungry winter, I can't predict where all of this will lead us."

The Tennessee deer hunting season begins in mid-September, but the full effects won't be known until the final harvest numbers are in for each county in January.

On the upside, Peterson said, two-thirds of the deer infected with the disease will survive -- and once they've had the disease, they develop a natural immunity that keeps them from being infected again.

"It's sort of like a child with the chicken pox," he said.

Female deer that have survived the disease can often pass the immunity to their fawns through their milk.

EHD affects only whitetail deer and poses no danger to domestic cattle or humans.

Deer that have survived the disease show obvious scars, but their meat is safe for consumption. Deer should be field-dressed within an hour of death to keep bacteria from building up in the carcass.

"Their hooves can flake away due to the fever, and the animals that recover will have split and layered-looking hooves this fall," Houston said. "A lot of people see that and wonder if the deer are safe to eat -- and they are."

While there is nothing humans can do to ease the outbreak, Peterson said, it would be helpful if people who see dead or dying deer on their property would contact the TWRA.

"Most deer that die of EHD will be found around water," Peterson said. "If you see a deer that's sick or dying around water, we'd like to know about it -- especially if that deer is bleeding from its mouth or anus.

"We'd like to at least chart the counties that are having outbreaks."

To report a dead or dying deer on your property, call [phone].

-- Bryan Brasher: 529-2343

[solohunter]

No dead deer here as of now...bummer for sure, but that is nature.....Solohunter

[drs]

I walked all around my lake, yesterday afternoon, and found no dead Deer either in the lake or around it.

[booner1331]

Had a buddy call me from his farm today, in Pike Co, IN has a 30 acre lake on it and had already found 10 dead deer........ still had a lot more lake to look around too.

[drs]

I went Squirrel Hunting up on a farm near Glendale F&W, and didn't find any dead Deer near water on this farm. I didn't see any Deer but plenty of tracks. I should say the field crops look in very poor condition due to the lack of rain.

[tenring]

I will be in Jefferson County about Friday for a depredation hunt [get to use an '06 legally], only water for half mile is right beside the house I'll be staying in. Latest report said JC was on the EHD list, so we will see. And for you antler worshipers, I,m going to hold my self to does unless the landowner gets on my case. I'll try to get some info from the local residents about this, but most of them I know would say "good riddance."

[tomthreetoes]

My son found a small buck Saturday while squirrel hunting on the neighbor's property. It was suffering the effects of EHD. It could barely move, did not act afraid of him, and it was hanging around water. This was in northern Warrick county.

[Woody Williams]

tomthreetoes said:

My son found a small buck Saturday while squirrel hunting on the neighbor's property. It was suffering the effects of EHD. It could barely move, did not act afraid of him, and it was hanging around water. This was in northern Warrick county.

tomthreetoes,

I'm just right across I 64 from Sugar Ridge. I haven't found any dead ones yet. Hopefully I wont. Fingers crossed big time..

As they told you on the KY board the dog will be fine. EHD is not transfered that way.

[mbogo]

drs said:

I went Squirrel Hunting up on a farm near Glendale F&W, and didn't find any dead Deer near water on this farm. I didn't see any Deer but plenty of tracks. I should say the field crops look in very poor condition due to the lack of rain.

I found a dead deer in Dogwood Lake Sunday morning while waterfowl hunting and saw at least one while sampling on the East Fork earlier this week.

[drs]

mbogo said:

drs said:

I went Squirrel Hunting up on a farm near Glendale F&W, and didn't find any dead Deer near water on this farm. I didn't see any Deer but plenty of tracks. I should say the field crops look in very poor condition due to the lack of rain.

I found a dead deer in Dogwood Lake Sunday morning while waterfowl hunting and saw at least one while sampling on the East Fork earlier this week.

I wasn't hunt too far from Dogwood Lake, but I didn't see any dead Deer near water where I was hunting. Now they have cattle on this farm, just wondering if these "midges" were mainly working on the cattle rather then on the few Deer on this farm. Another interesting point is; I've noticed that where this disease is occurring and great numbers of Deer are found dead are in very rural areas. Where I live, and on my property, there are many homes that are in the area (Subdivisions). Lots of these Folks have lawn care service, where lot of spraying goes on to control insects. Now just maybe these same chemicals, they use to spray for insect pest, are very likely controling the number of "Midges" that carry this Disease "EHD". My property is very close to these homes, and the Deer I see on my property are all healthy & fat. I have a Doe & her two Fawns come up on my driveway each afternoon, and those twin fawns are 3/4 the size of their Mom! Have seen several other Deer in the back, which are also in Healthy shape. NO EHD on my property todate.

[jkd]

Saw a report of two dead bucks found near water this weekend at Splinter Ridge, so sounds like it's in Switzerland county, so you guys along the river be on the lookout...

[mbogo]

drs said:

mbogo said:

I found a dead deer in Dogwood Lake Sunday morning while waterfowl hunting and saw at least one while sampling on the East Fork earlier this week.

I wasn't hunt too far from Dogwood Lake, but I didn't see any dead Deer near water where I was hunting. Now they have cattle on this farm, just wondering if these "midges" were mainly working on the cattle rather then on the few Deer on this farm. Another interesting point is; I've noticed that where this disease is occurring and great numbers of Deer are found dead are in very rural areas. Where I live, and on my property, there are many homes that are in the area (Subdivisions). Lots of these Folks have lawn care service, where lot of spraying goes on to control insects. Now just maybe these same chemicals, they use to spray for insect pest, are very likely controling the number of "Midges" that carry this Disease "EHD". My property is very close to these homes, and the Deer I see on my property are all healthy & fat. I have a Doe & her two Fawns come up on my driveway each afternoon, and those twin fawns are 3/4 the size of their Mom! Have seen several other Deer in the back, which are also in Healthy shape. NO EHD on my property todate.

It was in the finger of the lake nearest to parking lot k-1. I don't believe it can be seen from the road with out binoculars.

[mbogo]

I saw another dead deer in the Muscattuck River this week while sampling just upstream of the ramp off of SR 39. I didn't find any dead deer on either of the two sites on the East Fork that I visited this week though I did smell something decaying, that judging by the smell must have been fairly large. So far the areas I have seen don't seem to be getting hit too hard yet.