Michigan reports worst outbreak of viral disease in wild deer in 12 years

• Nearly a dozen counties in southwest Michigan have reported cases of epizootic hemorrhagic disease in white-tailed deer 
• The Michigan Department of Natural Resources calls it the worst outbreak of the viral disease since 2012 
• Wild white-tailed deer contract the disease from infected midges. Infected deer are often found in or around water 

Wild deer in Michigan have been getting sick in numbers not seen in more than a decade.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources says the current outbreak of epizootic hemorrhagic disease, or EHD, in deer is the worst the state has seen since 2012. The news comes just as archery deer-hunting season is getting underway. 

So far this year, 11 counties in southwest Michigan have reported cases of epizootic hemorrhagic disease, a viral deer disease that can be fatal. The latest case was confirmed in St. Joseph County in September, according to a DNR press release. 

Barry, Berrien, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Hillsdale, Kalamazoo, Kent, Ottawa, St. Joseph and Van Buren counties reported cases of epizootic hemorrhagic disease, the most since 2012 when 30 counties reported cases, according to the DNR. 

Midges transmit EHD to deer. It’s not spread from one deer to another. The disease can be fatal, but deer that survive often develop immunity. 

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There’s no evidence that the disease can be transmitted to humans or pets, according to the DNR. The department recommends that hunters not consume meat from animals that are “visibly sick,” but says there’s no evidence that humans can contract the virus by eating venison.

The outbreak comes as archery deer hunting season is underway and firearm season is approaching. Typically, outbreaks of EHD occur between late summer and early fall and end within two weeks of the first frost, which kills the biting midges that carry the disease. 

“This particular hunting season, EHD is definitely going to have a more noticeable impact, because it does happen so quickly,” said Chad Fedewa, acting deer, elk, and moose specialist for the DNR. 

While Michigan has struggled to control its deer population in recent years, the outbreak can cause high mortality rates, especially in concentrated areas, which can make it harder for deer hunters. 

“We do have pockets in several countries that have high mortality,” Fedewa said. “So if you hunt in those particular areas of those counties, you're going to have a noticeable impact on the number of deer you're seeing going into the hunting season.”

Signs of an EHD outbreak include: 

• Sick or dead deer found near bodies of water 
• Loss of appetite
• Decreased fear of humans 
• Excessive salivation  

“Even if there's a lot of dead deer in an area, the carcasses do not present transmission concern,” Fedewa said. “From a hunter's standpoint, if you harvest a deer, and by all accounts, it looks perfectly healthy. There's no concerns from this virus as far as the quality of the meat.”

Deer populations in areas where an EHD outbreak caused significant mortality tend to bounce back within two or three years. Deer that survive the outbreak have a decreased chance of contracting it again, especially because outbreaks typically don’t occur in the same area in consecutive years, said Chad Stewart, acting supervisor of the DNR Wildlife Division, in a press statement.