Deer Kill on Eastern Shore

[MunkMaster]

On my farm and within a half of mile(neighbors etc) we've found 12 dead. Nothing was baited unless you consider the soy beans that were growing in the field. It really sucks

 

[outrider58]

On my farm and within a half of mile(neighbors etc) we've found 12 dead. Nothing was baited unless you consider the soy beans that were growing in the field. It really sucks

My theory on this being so prevalent on the eastern shore is, many crop farms out there have those drainage ditches that surround the fields. They become stagnant through the later summer months and become huge breeding sources for the midges that cause EHD.

"It's just a theory. One I happen to believe in..."

 

[lazarus]

My theory on this being so prevalent on the eastern shore is, many crop farms out there have those drainage ditches that surround the fields. They become stagnant through the later summer months and become huge breeding sources for the midges that cause EHD.

"It's just a theory. One I happen to believe in..."

That plus a lot more swamps and a lot more flat area that gets flooded and then sticks around for days to weeks.

 

[outrider58]

That plus a lot more swamps and a lot more flat area that gets flooded and then sticks around for days to weeks.

True. The big problem with big, flat expanses of farmland is, there is nowhere for rainwater to go.

 

[Mark75H]

This theory would predict basically no deer surviving in Delaware

 

[outrider58]

This theory would predict basically no deer surviving in Delaware

It does occur.

"EHD outbreaks are common in Delaware and other Mid-Atlantic states, with the last significant outbreak occurring in 2007 with more than 132 dead deer reported in Delaware."

EHD outbreaks are common in Delaware and other Mid-Atlantic states

Epizootic hemorrhagic disease outbreaks are common in Delaware and other Mid-Atlantic states

www.deeranddeerhunting.com

 

[MunkMaster]

My theory on this being so prevalent on the eastern shore is, many crop farms out there have those drainage ditches that surround the fields. They become stagnant through the later summer months and become huge breeding sources for the midges that cause EHD.

"It's just a theory. One I happen to believe in..."

The ditches don't stay with water in them. They dry up pretty fast. The longest that they have water in them is maybe 2 weeks if it's raining pretty constantly. When they were dying the ditches were bone dry. For us is was August when I found the first one. They also are usually found around water sources because they over heat and can't cool down.

 

[outrider58]

The ditches don't stay with water in them. They dry up pretty fast. The longest that they have water in them is maybe 2 weeks if it's raining pretty constantly. When they were dying the ditches were bone dry. For us is was August when I found the first one. They also are usually found around water sources because they over heat and can't cool down.

I think late summer is when you usually start finding die-offs. The disease doesn't happen over night. I believe you about the drainage ditches drying up quickly and I don't live out there, so I won't argue the point. I do have a question for you though; we here in the DC metro area had a pretty wet summer. I only needed to water my lawn once, maybe twice all summer long. If you guys had the same situation out east, possibly the ditches, as well as any low-lying areas maintained a certain degree of non flowing moisture?

I am aware of the reason the dead deer are usually found in and around water.

I also wasn't implying that the ditches were the main source, but could be a contributing factor to the problem. If, perhaps, EHD is found in an area that isn't swampy, there has to be another source, no?. EHD is very localized. Those insects don't fly far from their sources.

 

[Bountied]

There is no correlation between EHD and herd density except where the virus occurs, deer of that local will be susceptible. It is caused by biting midges, bred in stagnant water holes. It is more prominent during dry or drought periods when water sources remain un replenished with fresh cooler water, but exists, to some extent, anywhere there is stagnant water.

I have witnessed EHD in very lightly deer populated areas where they are not 'baited'. It is not like CWD in any way.

I was lead to believe that the midges are caused by drought. They hatch when the soil moisture is very low. There was a large die off in Talbot county 4-5 years ago. In Trappe there were over 200 found in the Jamaica point area.

 

[Bountied]

The ditches don't stay with water in them. They dry up pretty fast. The longest that they have water in them is maybe 2 weeks if it's raining pretty constantly. When they were dying the ditches were bone dry. For us is was August when I found the first one. They also are usually found around water sources because they over heat and can't cool down.

I thought that they dehydrated because their tongues swell up and they can't swallow water or eat. Hemorrhagic fever.

 

[outrider58]

I was lead to believe that the midges are caused by drought. They hatch when the soil moisture is very low. There was a large die off in Talbot county 4-5 years ago. In Trappe there were over 200 found in the Jamaica point area.

It doesn't take long or very much water for midges to emerge.

From Goggle: "They pass through the larval stage quickly, though, sometimes going from eggs to adults in a week or less, so they don't necessarily need permanent water sources. They can survive even in places where temporary puddles appear after a hard rain and dry up soon after."

 

[outrider58]

I thought that they dehydrated because their tongues swell up and they can't swallow water or eat. Hemorrhagic fever.

It's mostly due to the fever, but I think you are also right that eventually, they lose the ability to drink water as a result of the tongue/sinus inflammation. Gut-shot deer will do the same thing as the fever from peritonitis sets in.

 

[MunkMaster]

I think late summer is when you usually start finding die-offs. The disease doesn't happen over night. I believe you about the drainage ditches drying up quickly and I don't live out there, so I won't argue the point. I do have a question for you though; we here in the DC metro area had a pretty wet summer. I only needed to water my lawn once, maybe twice all summer long. If you guys had the same situation out east, possibly the ditches, as well as any low-lying areas maintained a certain degree of non flowing moisture?

I am aware of the reason the dead deer are usually found in and around water.

I also wasn't implying that the ditches were the main source, but could be a contributing factor to the problem. If, perhaps, EHD is found in an area that isn't swampy, there has to be another source, no?. EHD is very localized. Those insects don't fly far from their sources.

There are some parts of the ditches that stay muddy for a bit but that's about all. I can only speak for my property and the ones that are right next to me. The only thing we could come up with is that during one of the wet spurts when it rained forever and then again a couple days later was the problem. The other problem is that the ditches here don't flow they just have the water sit and then drain (like you mentioned). As for the tongue swelling everything I read said they overheat from the disease and dnr said that as well. I have a buddy an hour away in Delaware that didn't have the problem but they knew people that did and they are calling it blue tongue disease and I didn't feel like correcting him. If I remember right outdoors Delmarva did a segment on the disease.

 

[ironpony]

It comes up often when baiting deer that if you put it in piles there is a chance of spreading some diseases. I spread it out because these goofy deer do not listen to the cdc and therefore have no masks. I put up several 6' distancing signs.

I'll go back to piles, sorry.

 

[outrider58]

There are some parts of the ditches that stay muddy for a bit but that's about all. I can only speak for my property and the ones that are right next to me. The only thing we could come up with is that during one of the wet spurts when it rained forever and then again a couple days later was the problem. The other problem is that the ditches here don't flow they just have the water sit and then drain (like you mentioned). As for the tongue swelling everything I read said they overheat from the disease and dnr said that as well. I have a buddy an hour away in Delaware that didn't have the problem but they knew people that did and they are calling it blue tongue disease and I didn't feel like correcting him. If I remember right outdoors Delmarva did a segment on the disease.

As I said, they go to water mostly to quell the fever. Blue tongue and EHD are very similar in the way they are transmitted and symptomology. From what I have read, they are two separate diseases though, EHD being the more common of the two.
Question is, is it on the rise? I haven't heard anything claiming that it is. We generally have more deer nowadays than we used to, so maybe that's why we see more of it. IDK.

As an aside, deers' second most common source for water is preformed water(water in the food they eat).

 

[outrider58]

It comes up often when baiting deer that if you put it in piles there is a chance of spreading some diseases. I spread it out because these goofy deer do not listen to the cdc and therefore have no masks. I put up several 6' distancing signs.

I'll go back to piles, sorry.

EHD and blue tongue are not communicable. Blaming baiting for this is like saying you caught herpes from a girl at school, therefore, school caused your herpes.

 

[Bountied]

There was a die off about 4 or 5 years ago in Talbot county but we haven't seen anything like that since. The population in that area seems to be recovering but it has been slow. From what I've heard it's the older deer with less nose hair that are affected more than the 1-2 year old's due to the midges being able to get into the nose and infect the deer.

 

[outrider58]

There was a die off about 4 or 5 years ago in Talbot county but we haven't seen anything like that since. The population in that area seems to be recovering but it has been slow. From what I've heard it's the older deer with less nose hair that are affected more than the 1-2 year old's due to the midges being able to get into the nose and infect the deer.

I know Doco Overboard had one in his area In DoCo(?) a few tears back. I hunted a farm a couple years ago in HoCo that experienced one as well. In the case of the latter, the 700 acre farm had very little running water on it, for its size. Mostly drainage seeps. It wasn't far off the Middle Patuxent River though.

 

[MunkMaster]

We were just getting our numbers back from whatever happened last and this just decimated us(at least here). Luckily I was unable to hunt all year but it was a good year to sit one out.