Illinois DNR concedes that EHD has hit deer again this year

DNR confirmed that 403 reported deer deaths this year are due to epizootic hemorrhagic disease. At this point last fall, there had been 2,043 confirmed cased of deer falling to EHD in 76 counties.
 
"Heaviest hit Illinois counties [in 2013] include Woodford [68], Jo Daviess [64], Pike and Adams [35 and 29, respectively], as well as Fulton [32]," the agency reported. "Of interest is the fact that the hardest hit counties from last year – Cook, Macon, Shelby, Coles, and Calhoun – are reporting little if any EHD this year, a result of resistance to the disease within the local deer populations that results from exposure to the virus."
 
An insect-killing frost typically ends an EHD outbreak, as the gnats that transmit the virus between deer are no longer present.
 
Hunters and landowners who find sick or dead deer that they suspect may have resulted from EHD are asked to contact their nearest DNR field office to make a report.  Discoveries of EHD-related deer mortality may also be reported to Doug Dufford, IDNR Wildlife Disease and Invasive Species Program Manager, at 815-535-2875 or email doug.dufford@illinois.gov.