Bad news about SW NoDak Whitetail

[Badlandcat]

Talked to one of the ranchers that I hunt on in unit 4F and he had some bad news.
Last couple days he has been finding dead whitetails laying in the creeks and dams, they died from EHD or bluetounge.
Worst part is that there wasn't too many to start and with them dying this early the die off might make all the way to Watford City killing every whitetail along the river before first frost.
If you have plans on hunting whitetails in the SW, I would call first to see if there are any left.
There are also reports of dead whitetails in SE Mt and a press release from area 6, says that the FWP is suspending all whitetail does tag sales for now.

 

[mtmiller]

Just cutting.
http://fwp.mt.gov/news/newsReleases/hunting/nr_1539.html

 

[dustyhunter]

How would a wolf handle this?

Just curious!

 

[twodot]

This stinks for sure. I just came in from bush-hogging around the my house and two neighbors places for fire protection and found 3 dead whitetail fawns. The other full time resident of our sub-division said he found one on him earlier this week. We basicly live in an alfalfa field right along the Mussellshell. We normally have whitetails all around the house morning and evening but they have pretty well disappeared the past week or so. So in an area of only 80 or so acres that we have been seeing deer daily in all summer, (several does with twins and two small bucks) we know of 4 dead fawns. I got a bad feeling that if I go walk the river I will find their mothers. This is 9 miles south of Crooked Creek ramp. I will report it to the link Miller posted later this evening.
If there is any good news, it is that the mulie does and fawns are still showing up on the upper edges of the alfalfa in the evenings.

 

[DRAFTSTUD]

We had Blue Tongue go through our lease one year (S). It showed up in various ways other than death. You might find a Deer with the hard part of the Hooves gone or Defective Antler growth. The Game Wardens said it was spread by a Midge and interaction from Cattle and the Deer.
I hunted this lease 3 years before I saw the first Deer, the outlaws were that bad and just as I was getting it going we got hit with the Blue Tongue! Good Luck they bounce back fast. John

 

[the nikster]

TWODOT,
You have me concerned. My good friend Rick over at the Brown Ranch hasn't answered his phone but you are close to him and your report scares me. More?

 

[twodot]

Nick, the neighbor came by today and says he has an orphaned fawn wandering around on him the past couple of days. He and I are about the only people around to notice anything like this going on.
I called the Lewistown office today after reading this that Miller posted. They have no wildlife bio at that office so I talked to the fish bio. He told me if I could find one that was pretty fresh to call him and he would run out and get it for testing. He unofficially stated that it does very much sound like blue tongue.
I will watch the alfalfa right at daylight and see how many, if any whitetails are out there. My boys tell me that the little 8 point that has been around is still with us, so makes us feel a bit better for now.

the Brown Ranch, I believe is far enough from the river that it may not be as affected. Hope hope.

 

[the nikster]

Thanks for the update gentlemen.
I hate to see any herds suffer, least of all one I utilize.

 

[Mav5]

Ehd

We had Blue Tongue go through our lease one year (S). It showed up in various ways other than death. You might find a Deer with the hard part of the Hooves gone or Defective Antler growth. The Game Wardens said it was spread by a Midge and interaction from Cattle and the Deer.
I hunted this lease 3 years before I saw the first Deer, the outlaws were that bad and just as I was getting it going we got hit with the Blue Tongue! Good Luck they bounce back fast. John

Deer that survive EHD can have what is called hoof sloughing. The hooves can grow longer and lose their shape and begin to chip off. I've seen it running check stations several years ago after we had a small localized EHD outbreak. These outbreaks usually happen in dry years when deer are congregating around available water (where the midges are) and are more likely to come in contact with each other. Sad to hear about ND and I guess MT is really taking losses right now.

 

[mconway951]

Sad to hear and from what ive heard wasnt it a real bad winter there the last few years too.