EHD

[Spring Creek Calls]

EHD has decimated the deer on our lease here in SW Michigan. We have decided not to hunt this year to let the few that have survived attempt to replenish the herd. The smell of death is everywhere. I'm afraid many quality bucks are now rotting corpses.

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[GobbleNut]

Wow, that's got to be depressing. I can only imagine the heartbreak you feel watching helplessly as that  happens. 

[Tail Feathers]

Dang, that's tough to see.  Sorry to hear it.

[Muzzy61]

Wow that sucks. That's got to be rough to see, I commend you guys for the action you took to not hunt.

[Greg Massey]

Very sad indeed, i don't blame y'all for taking the year off on the hunting ground.

[Tom007]

Wow! Sad...

[Will]

That is a shame. I experienced that same thing on 2 of my leases a few years ago. We lost some quality bucks. I just read on a local hunting forum where parts of West Virginia have it bad this year.

[Spring Creek Calls]

That is a shame. I experienced that same thing on 2 of my leases a few years ago. We lost some quality bucks. I just read on a local hunting forum where parts of West Virginia have it bad this year.

This is my second go round with the damn stuff. 2012 wiped out my best spot and before it fully recovered it was sold.

[Dtrkyman]

Unfortunately not surprising seeing the deer density in that area, was witness to areas of western Illinois getting hit to the tune of 70% of the herd!

Fortunately they tend to rebound rather quickly.


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[Badger]

Very sad..  Sad for the deer as well.

[Kylongspur88]

That stinks man. We got hit hard maybe 6 or 7 years ago and it wiped us out. Didn't hunt that year and went on a no doe rule for a while. Also focused on killing coyotes because they get a lot of fawns in the spring. Herds better but not 100% what it was

[bbcoach]

This stinks Mike!  Can anyone tell me what the cause of this is?  I have read from numerous sources that the cause is from baiting, but I see Michigan doesn't allow this practice except during youth season in the UP and you can only have 2 gallons on the ground at any given time.  I believe many State DNR's needed an out on this issue and they use this as an easy way out.  Many states allow baiting but have zero issues. 

[Spring Creek Calls]

This stinks Mike!  Can anyone tell me what the cause of this is?  I have read from numerous sources that the cause is from baiting, but I see Michigan doesn't allow this practice except during youth season in the UP and you can only have 2 gallons on the ground at any given time.  I believe many State DNR's needed an out on this issue and they use this as an easy way out.  Many states allow baiting but have zero issues.

EHD is a hemorrhage disease caused by the bite of midges that carry the disease. It is not transferred from animal to animal. The baiting ban is for CWD which is transferred from animal to animal.

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[Will]

From my understanding as Mike said, the midges transfer the disease when they bite. We were also told dry conditions cause the increase in midges and big bucks are lost because of the antler mass being filled with blood while in velvet making it easy for the midge to infect the deer when bitten. It is depressing when you let quality bucks walk year to year in hopes they develop mass only to see them die at the hands of an insect. Mother Nature can be strange at times.   

[Paulmyr]

Feeders concentrate deer in specific areas making it easier for the midges to transfer the disease from infected deer to healthy ones.