The Ohio Division of Wildlife is asking people to report dead or sick deer as they track the outbreak of a disease in the state.
The division has confirmed cases of epizootic hemorrhagic disease, or EHD, in whitetail deer in several counties.
The virus is spread by infected midges, which are small flies, and isn't transferable to humans or livestock. However, it can cause high mortality rates in deer in impacted areas. Deer start showing symptoms within four or five days of a bite from an infected fly.
"The deer may appear kind of lethargic, disoriented, might not show fear of people, just generally acting very odd," said Lindsey Krusling, a wildlife communications specialist with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources' Division of Wildlife.
Krusling said deer typically die within 36 hours of the onset of symptoms. There's no treatment for the disease. Cases typically go away when the first frost kills infected flies.
Krusling said hunters may see smaller deer populations in some areas due to the prevalence of the disease. Deer populations will likely rebound, but it will take time.
Hunters in affected areas may also see tighter limits on the number of deer they can take in the next few hunting seasons, she said. This year's bag numbers have already been set and will not change. Bow hunting begins on Sept. 27.
Krusling said EHD does not spread to humans even through eating the meat of infected deer.
"Though we always caution people and hunters to never kill or eat any sick deer because you can't be 100% sure that it is this disease without testing," Krusling added.
Right now, Athens and Washington counties are seeing the largest reports of dead and sick deer, with more than 50 reports of unhealthy animals coming from near the Pennsylvania border. The Ohio Division of Wildlife has also confirmed cases of EHD in Union, Morrow, and Fairfield counties, as well as in Guernsey County.
Krusling said the dead deer may be found near water and often have pronounced swelling around the head, neck, tongue or eyelids. She said anyone who sees a dead or sick deer can report it to the Ohio Department of Natural Resource's wildlife reporting system.
"We always ask that people report it so we can tell the distribution and severity of the outbreaks," Krusling said.
