A photo of a Michigan deer covered in wart-like growths recently circulated on social media, prompting questions about the condition and whether it poses a threat to deer, hunters or the public.
Dayna Stampfer-Czarniecki captured the deer on her trail camera near Holly, Michigan.
Michigan Department of Natural Resources Deer, Elk and Moose Management Specialist Brent Rudolph said the growths, known as fibromas, are not uncommon and are generally harmless.
“Yeah, so it's not all that uncommon to find deer with fibromas," Rudolph said. “They're like a, it's a wart or a tumor. It's. It's purely something that really is at the skin level. It doesn't go in and affect the meat or muscle tissue in any way.”
Rudolph said fibromas are caused by a virus and can sometimes spread between deer through contact with injured skin.
“It's it's caused by a virus, so it's a reaction to a virus,” he said.
The growths can occasionally create problems if they become widespread or large enough to interfere with a deer’s ability to see, eat or move. However, Rudolph said they typically do not affect an animal’s overall health.
“But apart from that, it's not a disease. It's not an illness. It's not anything that really affects the health of the deer,” he said.
The DNR receives reports and photos of deer with fibromas from across Michigan, though Rudolph said it is difficult to determine how common the condition actually is.
“We do have a lot of deer,” he said. “So even something that's not really common will be seen, even if it's on a small percentage.”
He added that trail cameras, doorbell cameras and smartphones have increased the number of images being shared online, making the condition more visible to the public.
Rudolph said fibromas can be concerning from a cosmetic standpoint, particularly for hunters interested in mounting a trophy deer.
“Yeah, it's a cosmetic thing,” he said. “But, but again, it's not anything that's a health concern, and it really doesn't impact apart from really a superficial factor on the deer.”
The DNR also emphasized that fibromas do not pose a risk to humans or pets.
Still, he encouraged hunters to follow safe field-dressing practices.
“It's always great practice to wear gloves and use proper handling because there's all kinds of things that that deer are interacting with out there,” he said.
As archery season gets underway, Rudolph noted that hunters may see deer movement influenced by this year’s acorn crop. White oak acorns, which are sweeter and preferred by deer, typically fall during September and October and can concentrate deer activity in certain areas.
He said hunters often pay close attention to acorn production when scouting because it can affect where deer feed and travel during the early part of the season.