The Outdoors

By Scott Rall, Outdoors Columnist

I saw a dead deer on this spot and then I saw another deer dead in another spot and overall, this pheasant hunting/deer hunting season I have seen at least a dozen dead deer that were not a result of a deer hunter’s bullet. The reports of dead deer in large numbers are circulating in my hunting circles but I cannot confirm with any of my sources more than just a sporadic deer here or there.

One report was that there were 21 dead deer all within about two square miles, but I was not able to confirm that report. What I did find was still pretty interesting. There is a disease called Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD). It was not found in Minnesota until 2019 but has been around in other states for quite a long time. Another name for it you might recognize is Blue Tongue. These are the same virus called by different names. It affects deer the most but can also show up in antelope, big horn sheep and a few other big game animals.

This disease is most common during periods of drought. It is caused by a midge (we call them no-see-ums) that bites an infected deer and then flies on to bite another deer and this effort can result in the deer catching the disease.

Not every deer that contracts the disease will die, but many if not most of them will. Some will survive and build up an immunity to this illness. The incubation period is only 5-10 days Most deer that die of this disease will die within 36-48 hours. Most dead deer are found near a water source. The deer develop a fever and try to use water as a symptom reliever. Other symptoms include lethargy, weakness, unresponsiveness and a swollen tongue.

Deer cannot transmit the disease deer to deer. The midge is its only method of transmission. There is no known method of intervention at this time. It can have a measurable effect on deer populations in any one year but is not known to have a measurable effect on deer populations overall and in the long term. I will say that in areas like Minnesota that are not commonly affected, deer mortality can be severe. Other states that have had this around for longer can have outbreaks so mild that its presence might not even register.

There is no recorded research I could find that shows eating a deer with EHD can pass this on to humans, but cautions would trump anyone with a sound mind from doing so. It also is not a danger to your dogs or other pets.

As soon as we get some snow or a substantial killing frost the midges that carry the disease will die and will end the infestation. It is yet to be seen just how much impact this outbreak in Minnesota will have. It might have little to no measurable effect and yet if it is bad enough to impact overall deer populations, it might require some changes in the years to come as to how many doe permits might be issued.

Deer populations in Minnesota are controlled by the number of doe permits that are issued and by how many deer can be taken in any one season in any specific deer permit area by any one person. In Unit 237, which is my home area, you can only take one deer per year even if you bought a firearms license, a muzzle license and an archery permit. Archers get an automatic doe permit, but you have to be drawn for a doe permit for firearms and muzzleloader seasons.

In other areas a hunter might be able to take two or more depending on the population goals in that particular deer permit area. There is always going to be that group that had a high success rate, but for the most part many of the hunting groups I have talked to had a pretty difficult season. My group of three harvested zero deer. We spent over three days of hunting and over 30 hours in our stands. I never saw a buck and the other two saw one buck at a long distance. Another group of seven hunters bagged two deer and they hunted the entire nine days of the firearms season.

We will have to see how many of those hunters purchase a muzzleloader tag and try some more. That’s why it is called hunting and not shooting. The weather is changing into a normal ending of late November-early December, and this might change the fortunes. Only time will tell but there is always next season.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

If you have any questions, reach out to me at scottarall@gmail.com.