With Michigan's firearm deer season opening Nov. 15, wildlife officials are warning hunters about an outbreak of epizootic hemorrhagic disease, or EHD, affecting white-tailed deer across parts of the state.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has received reports of suspected EHD in several Mid-Michigan counties, including Jackson and Ingham.
WHAT IS EHD?
Brent Rudolph, the DNR's deer, elk and moose management specialist, says the disease is spread by tiny biting flies known as midges.
Infected deer can develop high fevers and internal bleeding. Some die within a day or two of exposure.
The disease is not transmitted directly from one deer to another. It spreads only through the bite of an infected midge.
WHY IS EHD A CONCERN THIS YEAR?
The insects breed in muddy areas along ponds, rivers and lakes. Rudolph says this year's weather created favorable conditions for the disease to spread.
“The years where we have the worst outbreaks are when we tend to have a wet spring, brings a lot of water on the landscape, and then we have a hot and dry summer, and that's what we experienced in many areas,” Rudolph said.
WHAT DOES THE DNR'S EHD MAP SHOW?
The DNR's online map shows where residents have reported finding sick or dead deer suspected of having EHD. But those reports do not necessarily mean the disease has been confirmed in every location.
Rudolph says the map is based on reports submitted through the DNR's Eyes in the Field website.
“So we only have the information that's provided to us,” Rudolph said.
He says some areas could be experiencing outbreaks that aren't reflected on the map because people haven't submitted reports.
The DNR confirms EHD in a county through laboratory testing of a recently deceased deer. Once the disease has been confirmed in a county, the agency generally does not test every additional suspected case.
WHAT SHOULD HUNTERS EXPECT?
For hunters preparing for the Nov. 15 firearm season, the impact can vary considerably depending on where they're planning to hunt.
“This can be a really highly localized impact,” Rudolph said.
The DNR encourages hunters and residents to report sick or dead deer through its Eyes in the Field reporting system. The agency's map includes public reports of suspected cases, even in counties where EHD has not been confirmed through laboratory testing.
IS EHD A RISK TO PEOPLE?
Rudolph says EHD does not pose a health risk to humans. However, hunters should avoid consuming deer that appear sick or abnormal and report those animals to the DNR.
CAN DEER POPULATIONS RECOVER?
Rudolph says deer populations can recover from significant EHD outbreaks, although it can take several years.
In a previous research project, he said, it took about five years for deer numbers to rebound to their estimated levels before an outbreak.