Sounds like it's getting pretty bad in some area's. My hunting land seems EHD free so far, but a buddy of mine checked his stand yesterday only to find 3 dead deer on the trail to his stand, like a 100 yard walk-in.
Some local properties in some area's seem to be kind of wiped out or at least greatly reduced.
MDNR is reporting 1000's of cases, but there could be 10,000's of unreported cases.
http://www.freep.com/article/20120924/SPORTS10/120924053/DNR-Virus-has-killed-more-than-4-200-deer-Michigan-s-Lower-Peninsula DNR: Virus has killed more than 4,200 deer in Michigan's Lower Peninsula
A virus transmitted by biting flies has killed at least 4,217 deer in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, according to the state Department of Natural Resources.
Epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) causes deer to bleed internally, stop eating, grow weak and die quickly, often within days of contracting the virus. Some photos posted on hunter websites show dead animals that bled from their eyes, nose and mouth.
The outbreak is concentrated in the south-central part of the Lower Peninsula with Ionia, Branch, Kent and Calhoun counties reporting the most dead animals so far.
“From the photos we’ve been seeing, they are some pretty good deer,” said Jeremy Hawes, who works the firearms counter at the Gander Mountain store in Coldwater. “There are a lot guys who aren’t going to hit the woods, total die off on their property.”
Wildlife experts say the disease has been around for decades but was only confirmed twice in Michigan before 2006. Since then, it’s appeared all but one year, with this year being the worst so far.
“This has been a phenomenon around the U.S., largely because of the hot, dry summer,” said Brent Rudolph, Deer and Elk program leader for the Michigan DNR. “People are seeing both more cases, and more widespread.”
The outbreak in Michigan stretches as far east as Washtenaw County and as far north as Mecosta, Rudolph said. There have been no reports in the Upper Peninsula.
Rudolph said the numbers are likely to rise as more hunters head into the woods for the beginning of bow season Oct. 1 and find animals already fallen.
“More have died than have been reported,” Rudolph said. “It’s difficult to get a feel for the actual number involved.”
There isn’t much the state, or anyone else, can do to stop it, Rudolph said. The best hope is for a hard frost, that would kill off the small flies, sometimes known as no-see-ums, that carry the virus. The bugs breed in marshy areas.
“We’ve had a couple frosts, but not a good one,” Rudolph said.
For more on the disease, visit the DNR's website.
Topic: EHD hitting your area? (Read 169 times)
