EHD Missouri
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- Start date
SCWDS (UGA) records, dating back into the 1950s indicate that EHD epizootics run on a 9-yr cycle, with a 4-yr cycle superimposed on it. So... you can expect major outbreaks every 4-5 years.
I remember 2007 and 2012 being particularly bad here in KY. I retired from my job as pathologist at the vet diagnostic lab in 2018, so have not really kept up with subsequent outbreaks. EHD wreaked havoc on the captive cervid guys in '07 and '12... many of them had mortality rates exceeding 90%.
2007... there were dead deer everywhere... we'd had 1" of rain between May 10 and Nov 30. My daughters hated going outside the house because of the stench... at least 6 dead does that I found within 1/4 mile of the house. Had affected deer getting into folks in-ground swimming pools, in town. Despite what seemed like a high mortality rate, I can't see any long-term impact on populations. Have not seen or smelled any deads around here any time recently.
I still see upwards of 20, and often more than 50, in my hayfield, of an evening in the fall/winter.
I remember 2007 and 2012 being particularly bad here in KY. I retired from my job as pathologist at the vet diagnostic lab in 2018, so have not really kept up with subsequent outbreaks. EHD wreaked havoc on the captive cervid guys in '07 and '12... many of them had mortality rates exceeding 90%.
2007... there were dead deer everywhere... we'd had 1" of rain between May 10 and Nov 30. My daughters hated going outside the house because of the stench... at least 6 dead does that I found within 1/4 mile of the house. Had affected deer getting into folks in-ground swimming pools, in town. Despite what seemed like a high mortality rate, I can't see any long-term impact on populations. Have not seen or smelled any deads around here any time recently.
I still see upwards of 20, and often more than 50, in my hayfield, of an evening in the fall/winter.
Bill
Administrator
My neighbor won't go into the timber this time year but he has found a few dead does by the ponds in fields. Both he and I have several bucks of interest that haven't been on camera in 3 to 4 weeks. I'm afraid to look in the ponds when I get there this week.
Hoytvectrix
5 year old buck +
We haven't found any yet either on multiple farms.
We have a tipping bucket rain gauge and have only gotten 0.2" in three weeks.
Based on the studies so far, this has been shaping up to be about as bad of conditions as one could expect for EHD. Wet summer with dry autumn.
Something that is interesting is that at my parent's place we have yet to find a single dead deer from EHD. It has a creek and several cattle ponds. At two other farms of ours that are just about a mile away, we have found several bucks that apparently died from it. There are fewer water sources but the same creek.
We have a tipping bucket rain gauge and have only gotten 0.2" in three weeks.
Based on the studies so far, this has been shaping up to be about as bad of conditions as one could expect for EHD. Wet summer with dry autumn.
Something that is interesting is that at my parent's place we have yet to find a single dead deer from EHD. It has a creek and several cattle ponds. At two other farms of ours that are just about a mile away, we have found several bucks that apparently died from it. There are fewer water sources but the same creek.
Hoytvectrix
5 year old buck +
I wonder if other animals are able to smell the EHD? It seems like when you find one, they are often much more intact than most other times of the year.
Bill
Administrator
It is odd. There a plenty of buzzards around but they seem to leave them alone.
Bill
Administrator
This system is typically humming along and I have 100's of pictures to comb through daily. I hope we have the craziest acorn drop of all time happening. Sadly I don't think that's the case. I've still only actually seen 1 deer. But on the plus side MDC is giving me and my neighbors 10 free tags 
Howboutthemdawgs
5 year old buck +
Oh man. I’m so sorry. That’s heartbreaking. Im hoping you can salvage a good season and immediate future despite this.
In years when it is bad, do you still kill deer or leave the few survivors alone to help rebuild the herd. Does it affect bucks and does at same rate?
Bill
Administrator
I'm not sure, I always thought it hit the bucks worse than does but it doesn't seem that way. When I first bought the place it was 3 years before I shot a deer and I've had several stretches of tag soup seasons. Probably won't shoot any unless a 150" or better shows up. What will suck is not seeing deer from stand. We were actually to a point where we were ready to start taking some does because numbers were way up. I'm still holding out hope that something is keeping them out of the plots. Wishful thinking maybe.
Howboutthemdawgs
5 year old buck +
Are you actually hunting now and not seeing anything or just going off of cameras and riding around? Just curious
Bill
Administrator
Not hunting, planting rye and clover, mowing and maintenance. Just going off cameras and sightings and dead ones found.
