Nebraska EHD
Contributors to this thread:Whitetail Deer
From: 'Ike'
03-Jan-23
Hearing some areas took a pretty big hit, anyone confirm...? Planning 2023...
From: brettpsu
03-Jan-23
Not really answering your question.....more a story of how bad EHD can be. Back in 2012 the area I hunted in Saline County was crushed by EHD. If I had to guess I'd say over 70% mortality going off our deer sightings from the prior 8-10 years and mature bucks even greater loss. I gave up my 50% of the lease after that year, knowing it could be a long haul to get back to what it once was, but my business partner still kept the lease. He rifle hunts only, in the peak of the rut, and has produced 1-130's buck and 1-120's buck in the 10 years since EHD hit. This property was pumping out multiple 140-150 class bucks yearly and the occasional 160-190. But with all that doom and gloom there are areas not that awful far away that seemed to fair better and made a quicker recovery.
From: Michael
03-Jan-23
I hunt in SE Nebraska every year. Didn’t see any EHD affects this past year.
However 2012 and 2013 hurt the area bad. Numbers are bouncing back but the big buck numbers have been slower.
I hope we have a wet fall soon like we did in 2009. A bunch of standing corn going into gun season would hurt for that year but would help the long term numbers.
From: Donnie Peterson
03-Jan-23
From: Sivart
03-Jan-23
Don't know if it's EHD or something else. Our herd in the South Central part of the state is at about 25% of it's peak in 2005.
From: Blue Buck
04-Jan-23
Northeast Nebraska was hit hard by EHD. I've been hunting here for 42 years. Deer hunting hasn't been this bad since the 80's. My daughter shot a small buck the last day of rifle season and the lady at the check station said the total number checked in for this season they normally check in on opening day!
From: Murph
04-Jan-23
Can’t confirm % of Ehd affect in NC Nebraska but rifle harvest at the check stations was down significantly, IMO it’s like we’re missing a couple age class of bucks a ton of 2 1/2 and younger but the older bucks just aren’t here like they should be..
From: 'Ike'
04-Jan-23
Yes, this is SC area...Have a call into Game and Parks, doesn't look good though from what I'm hearing...
From: Paul@thefort
04-Jan-23
In addition to EHD: Although present in Colorado and Wyoming for several decades prior, chronic wasting disease was first confirmed in Nebraska in 2000 in Kimball County. Since 1997, Game and Parks staff have tested nearly 55,000 deer and found 800 that tested positive. Chronic wasting disease has now been found in 43 of Nebraska’s 93 counties.
From: No Mercy
05-Jan-23
Western ND was crushed by EHD in both 2020 and 2021. Areas lost 80%+ of the whitetails and the mule deer were also affected. Yet, our Game and Fish departments are battling CWD. (instert eye roll)
From: KHNC
06-Jan-23
NW Nebraska was in terrible shape during the 2021 season. I vowed not to go back for quite some time. This after hunting NE since 2006. In Sept 2021 i was lucky to see 4-5 does per DAY! I used to see 80-100 with 15+ bucks prior to 2012. Ive killed a few nice bucks during the rut since then, but its a shadow of its former quality now.
From: cnelk
06-Jan-23
Geez…. It couldn’t be because of Nebraska’s years and years of unlimited license sales could it??
Maybe Paul could Google that?? :)
From: KHNC
25-Jan-23
"Geez…. It couldn’t be because of Nebraska’s years and years of unlimited license sales could it?? " NE still only had a two buck limit and not that liberal on killing does once EHD hit. Mass EHD in 2012 and again in 2021 took a HEAVY toll. Yes, public land has been shot up for years but the private is devastated now due to EHD. Be years before it recovers anything like it used to be. Think of the Milk River in MT>
From: Hessticles
26-Jan-23
NE Nebraska here, my ground got hit bad in '12, 21 and 22. Not sure how bad it was this year as I haven't walked much of it yet. This was the worst year I've ever seen for deer #s. I hunt alot of river and swampy ground and with the drought I would've thought the deer would congregate on mine but that wasn't the case. Neighbors didn't see chit either. Usually have 2-3 bucks in the 160+ but biggest I had was 135ish. Went to a big game meeting and according to how they talk and the graphs, the g&p thinks they are doing a great job for quality and numbers. I apparently was the only bowhunter in a room full of rifle hunters also, so I didn't want to start any fires haha
