EHD rearing its ugly head again
Contributors to this thread:Montana
From: sbschindler
20-Aug-20
"Several dead white-tailed deer found in R6, FWP looking for causes/need help with locations from the public" Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks has received several reports over the last few weeks of dead or dying white-tailed deer, along with a few antelope. Biologists are still waiting for test results to come back, but early indications indicate patterns and symptoms similar to epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD). EHD is an infectious, sometimes fatal virus that is usually spread by a virus-carrying gnat or midge. Many animals affected with EHD lose their appetite, are drawn to water, lose their fear of people, grow weak, and often eventually die. This disease is often confused with “blue tongue” which is a separate, but similar, disease. EHD is not uncommon in eastern Montana in late summer/early fall, and mostly impacts white-tailed deer, but can also show up in mule deer and antelope. EHD typically shows up in river bottoms and large creek bottoms, likely due to higher concentrations of white-tailed deer and the insects that transmit EHD. These outbreaks typically end when a hard frost kills the insect vectors that carry the disease. More information on EHD can be found on the FWP website: http://fwp.mt.gov/fishAndWildlife/diseasesAndResearch/diseases/ehdBlueTongue/ FWP would like to get an idea of the distribution of this disease(s). If any members of the public find dead or dying white-tailed deer or antelope (that do not have any other obvious injuries such as from a car accident), please contact your area biologist: Glasgow area- Drew Henry at [email protected] or 406-230-1651 Malta area- Brett Dorak at [email protected] or 406-654-2272 Havre area- Scott Hemmer at [email protected] or 406-265-6177 x224 Plentywood/Culbertson area- Ryan Williamson at [email protected] or 406-895-2468 Please provide the biologist with the species, number of individuals, behaviors/symptoms observed, and location (GPS if possible). Thanks for your help!
From: montnatom
25-Aug-20
thanks Steve, any idea where the outbreak is? I've suffered through a couple of these over the last few seasons along the Missouri.
From: sbschindler
25-Aug-20
as far as I know right now its mostly along the Milk River Drainage, Glasgow is the epicenter, some along the Missouri near Ft. Peck also
From: Missouribreaks
26-Aug-20
South to Roundup too.
From: sbschindler
29-Aug-20
heard some reports about several dead deer along the Yellowstone downstream from Glendive
From: sbschindler
30-Aug-20
just got another report of some hunters headed down around slipper ann setting up some tree stands and they found 3 dead deer and 2 dead elk, I didn't know elk would be affected going to check this out a bit further
From: SmokedTrout
31-Aug-20
Elk can certainly be effected, but I haven't heard about it in Montana.
EHD sucks, hope the weather changes and it goes away. Also wish we had a solution.
From: sbschindler
31-Aug-20
Talked to the FWP Biologist for that area and he had the same info, he had never heard of EHD in elk but thought it was clearly possible.
From: sbschindler
12-Sep-20
found this today, sad
From: bigswivle
18-Oct-20
In-laws place in NE is really bad. On Missouri River
From: Pivot
20-Oct-20
Pivot's Link
It's bad enough in western North Dakota that they're offering tag refunds to whitetail hunters and restoring their drawing points.
https://www.kfyrtv.com/2020/10/20/deer-mortality-caused-by-ehd-allows-whitetail-hunters-to-seek-refunds/
From: Pivot
20-Oct-20
Pivot's Link
It's bad enough in western North Dakota that they're offering tag refunds to whitetail hunters and restoring their drawing points.
https://www.kfyrtv.com/2020/10/20/deer-mortality-caused-by-ehd-allows-whitetail-hunters-to-seek-refunds/
