EHD

[grazan]

look @ todays frontpage story in the Times Herald Record ..... quite ironic actaully

[grazan]

someone sent me an email they got from the DEC today:

Mr. xxxxxx,

I agree that DEC should provide additional information to hunters since the original September 3rd press release regarding the confirmation of EHD in our region. Since that time, reports of deer dying from EHD have been received from northeastern Rockland, eastern Orange, southwestern Ulster, southwestern Dutchess, Putnam and northwestern Westchester Counties. Though DEC has received over 700 reports of deer that have likely died from EHD, the impact to the total population is still unknown.

Regional staff is currently working with DEC Central Office to provide additional information on the outbreak to both residents and hunters in the impacted areas.

Currently, I'm not aware of any EHD reports in the Middletown area. The reports I've received have included Goshen and east .

You may be aware of this information already, but here is some information on EHD:

The EHD virus is carried by biting midges, small bugs often called no-see-ums or 'punkies.' Once infected with EHD, deer usually die within 36 hours. The disease is not spread from deer to deer or from deer to humans. EHD symptoms include fever, hemorrhage in muscle or organs, swelling of the head, neck, tongue, and lips. A deer infected with EHD may appear lame or dehydrated. Frequently, infected deer will seek out water sources and many succumb near a water source. There is no treatment for nor means to prevent EHD. The dead deer do not serve as a source of infection for other animals.

Hunters should not handle or eat any deer that appears sick or acts strangely. Sightings of sick or dying deer should be reported to the nearest DEC Regional Office or to an Environmental Conservation Police Officer.

If you have additional questions, feel free to contact me directly. I would also be available to speak on the phone if you would prefer. If so, please provide your phone number as I'm currently out of the office.

Regards,


Wildlife Biologist - Region 3
Department of Environmental Conservation
office: (845) 256-3090

[ruck]

I just heard from an acquaintance that he saw a few dead deer near Titicus Reservoir in Westchester that did not appear to be road kill. I fished there today,  I didn't see any dead deer, but definitely did smell dead animal a few times in the breeze. This is spreading fast.

[ole bleu]

I believe I found my first one today in the New Paltz area along the Wallkill River

[furchaser]

i was smelling something dead for a couple of days and went into the woods straight behind my house by following the smell and found a dead doe.could of been a car hit or the ehd.i'm in dutchess county off salt point turnpike near the boces school.coyotes were screaming a few days ago at 2:30a.m near the area,but the doe hasn't been chewed on.

[Yotehntr]

YOTE …. THanks for sharing but I work for the government and that sounds like to me all the non-answers I get all day ….. that answer doesn't seem like the DEC is getting out in front of this and by time they are done with business as usual it maybe too late …… getting in front of this to me is doing things like closing Stewart …. restricting or eliminating doe harvest and 1 buck only in Orange county … until @ least the DEc engages the public with real time data that supports that there's no need for measures like that ……  every time I post elsewhere I get the typical statement "the DEC cant cure EHD what do you expect them to do" well to be honest I expect them to do things I don't know can even be done because im just joe civilian buying my hunting license …. they are the ones charged with managing and protecting the wildlife …...

Yeah, any of these bureaucrat organizations, are too slow to move on anything. What’s the point of reporting, if the only thing that can be done, is wait until the harvest numbers show how bad it is? At this point we know the herd already took a hit and anything we can do now, will be helpful, getting it back where it should be

[grazan]

heres West Point notice to hunters:

"EPIZOOTIC HEMORRHAGIC DISEASE & THE 2020 DEER SEASON – 25 SEPTEMBER 2020

        As most of you probably know by now, the deer herd in the lower Hudson Valley has been affected this year by an outbreak of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD). This disease is a caused by a virus and is transmitted by midges - very tiny semi-aquatic biting flies also known as “no-see-ums”. When a midge feeds on an infected deer, it picks up the virus and then passes it on when it subsequently feeds on an uninfected deer. Infected deer suffer from internal bleeding, fever, shock and eventual death. EHD manifests as dead and dying deer appear without apparent injury, often near water. There are no known effective treatments to save infected deer or mitigations to prevent outbreaks. Thankfully, EHD does not affect humans or pets, and cannot be transmitted even from one deer to another without first passing through a midge during each transmission.
        EHD outbreaks tend to occur in late summer and early fall when deer concentrate near midge breeding sites. This disease is endemic to the southern United States but has traveled through deer populations to the northern-most extent of its range where we live. Outbreaks end with the coming of cold weather in the autumn when the first frost kills off the midge population.  In this area, outbreaks have historically occurred intermittently. Prior to this year’s outbreak, EHD last struck deer in this area in 2011 when it occurred in Rockland County and northern New Jersey. The EHD outbreak of 2020 is widespread and is currently affecting multiple counties and townships throughout our area. For more information, see the Cornell University Wildlife Health Program’s EHD Fact Sheet at https://cwhl.vet.cornell.edu/system/files/public/CWHL%20Fact%20Sheets-EHD.pdf ).
        At West Point, we, in the Natural Resources Branch, have responded to dead deer reports on the reservation in mid- to late August and throughout September. In almost every case, the cause of death was not obvious as most carcasses were in an advanced state of decay. Still, we had our suspicions. On September 3rd, 2020, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) confirmed the presence of EHD in Orange and Putnam Counties. On September 21st, we located a freshly dead deer showing several clinical signs of EHD. All told, we have responded to over a dozen dead deer on Post (Cantonment) and in the nearby woods. Off-post detection is considerably more difficult, and it is unknown if deer in wooded areas are equally at risk. (For more information, see DEC press release at https://www.dec.ny.gov/press/121297.htm ).
PICTURED LEFT, This deer, found near Central Area on Main Post almost certainly succumbed to EHD. Note the discolored tongue due to lack of blood oxygen. The lesions on the tip of the tongue are typical of the disease. When moved, blood ran from the deer’s mouth indicating bleeding into the lungs. There were no other visible external injuries.
Many of you will have questions as to how the presence of EHD will affect this year’s deer harvest, both in general for hunting in our region of New York State and specifically in hunting here at West Point. For a big picture view of EHD in the Hudson Valley, we contacted the NYS DEC regional deer biologist in New Paltz.
        The State has no current plans to alter harvest, preferring a wait-and-see approach for now. The thinking is that EHD in this area has not shown itself to significantly impact deer populations long-term, that deer populations are resilient through birth rates and emigration from source populations, and that only a portion of EHD related mortality is additive to total mortality (i.e. some portion of the deer lost to EHD would have been taken by hunters anyway). In this region, the state management strategy has been to address regional over-abundance by maintaining or slightly reducing the population to balance with ecological and cultural carrying capacity. Population maintenance is managed through the doe take by issuing or withholding DMP tags. Should the buck take be diminished, indicating a substantial population hit, the State will respond by limiting the number of future 3P DMP tags issued.
Here at West Point, we at the Natural Resources Branch have considered an appropriate local response and, in the best interests of hunter safety, herd health, and issue tracking, have the settled on the following recommendations and requests:
First, any hunter that observes a deer showing any sign of EHD - including drooling, dehydration, loss of motor control or exhibiting strange behavior - should not harvest such an animal. It will be poor food. With specific respect to EHD, Early Season deer hunters are more likely to encounter deer with EHD. With the onset of colder weather, the midges that spread the disease should be killed off and so Regular and Late Season deer hunter are less likely to encounter deer with EHD. However, regardless of when or where such a deer or any other sick game is encountered, sound advice in general to all sportsmen: Never consume a sick animal.
Second, rather than change our deer harvest regulations for hunters this year, we are advocating for a voluntary response from our hunters - please consider limiting your harvest to one West Point deer this year. Since a. annual bag limits were already published in the 2020-21 West Point Hunting Notice; b. many of you have already purchased your tags, permits, and licenses; and c. the state is not advocating for a change in management, a local regulation requiring further harvest reduction beyond what we already mandate does not seem productive. Instead we are asking hunters who want to try for a second or a third deer in 2020, consider hunting off-reservation.
The State’s prediction for the long term impact of EHD on the local deer population is most likely true and any population loss will likely bounce back, but we have done a great deal to improve the herd here at West Point through local regulation and should preserve the gains we have made, if possible.
Third, we are asking that any hunters who discover a deer carcass (excluding those on highway roadsides) or who encounter a live, suspect deer at West Point to please report that animal to us. Awareness of the extent of the problem is important and hunters are an invaluable resource.  We are consolidating and reporting on incidence of dead deer to the State. Hunters should report discovery of a carcass or suspect animal encounter via email titled “EHD Report” to including date, time, location, and if possible, a photo.
We do not yet know the extent of the damage caused by EHD and are unlikely to until after the season. Limiting the take to the voluntary minimum will do much to mitigate any potential EHD population loss by limiting total mortality. Good data, shared with the State agency, will help determine next steps. It’s a responsible thing to do, and I’m sure something our hunting community can get behind.
Best to you, and good luck if you go.
Natural Resources Manager"

[Carm]

Read between the lines on the state's response (little conspiracy theory here):

The deer numbers in NY are too high (according to some group lobbying us, i.e. insurance companies).  The total harvest numbers each year, including the poaching estimates, is still not enough to bring the numbers down.  So, we know EHD is bad, but we need to get those numbers down and we are gonna let EHD do it for us. 

It's all smoke and mirrors.  One reason the DEC is behind is because this is on the very bottom of the state's priority list.  Even if they wanted to track or model it they don't have the resources, money, or personnel.  On the east side of the Hudson, where deer numbers are high, any hit to the population will most likley recover soon.  On the west side however, in areas where hunters have worked hard in combination with AR rules to get improved herds and age structures, probably feel like it's all gone.  And they may well be right for the short term.  This is where DEC can get out ahead and start looking at whether harvests may need an emergency adjustment.  Local residents can show restraint, but when the orange army arrives on opening day from out of town...look out.

[Yotehntr]

Here’s one from Cornwall apparently. I did see a nice 8 point off 84 this morning, in an EHD area. So there are and will be survivors..

[walkabout]

I found 3 in walden in 20min.  finding a lot now in 3J

[DXT]

I found 3 in walden in 20min.  finding a lot now in 3J

😲

[Yotehntr]

Unfortunately, There have been reports as far north as catskill. Pretty amazing how fast small Bugs, can spread out.

[ole bleu]

This state needs to look at management overall our tick population thrives in this area due to the lack of new regulations we can’t burn leaves in the fall or burn our fields in the spring which all results in new growth for management practices our own state lands are all mature standing timber which will rot before a select harvest could happen to allow new growth for new habitat to regenerate our forest you watch our own ADKS mountains are set to resemble what’s happening in California could be disastrous to small towns up there

[UCBowhunter]

I found 3 in walden in 20min.  finding a lot now in 3J

Farm on Osiris Rd found 10 deer in the pond. I use to have 10-14 deer come through the yard. Was seeing 2 now only 1 deer. She looks ok but I fear she will get it soon. Heard of some others hear and there being found.  I'm lucky if I see a deer driving to work now.

[Yotehntr]

Up to 750..