# Hemorrhagic Disease (HD)



## Papa-T (Sep 5, 2011)

Just wondering if anyone in Eastern N.C. is experiencing any affects with hemorrhagic disease (HD) on deer like we are in Western N.C.

Quote from NCWRC: "Biologists are observing an increasing number of hemorrhagic disease cases in white-tailed deer in the western part of the state, especially in Caldwell, Wilkes and Surry counties. 
The disease has no human health implications, but is one of the most significant endemic viral and sometimes fatal diseases of white-tailed deer in the southeastern U.S. 
Transported by a biting midge (or gnat), the virus enters deer through the blood stream. Common symptoms of sick animals include emaciation, loss of motor control, fever, lameness and swelling of the neck and head. Infected deer often seek relief near bodies of water, resulting in a higher frequency of dead deer near creeks, rivers and ponds than on adjacent uplands. Investigations of these dead deer usually reveal ulcerations on the tongue, dental pad and palate. The mouth may also be bluish in color and the skin flush or reddish, particularly noticeable on the inside of the legs and belly. 
Commission biologists first began seeing deer afflicted with the disease in Wilkes and Surry counties. In August, reports of the disease also began coming from Caldwell, Burke, McDowell, Rutherford and Buncombe counties. The hardest hit counties are Caldwell, Surry and Wilkes."


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## NC KingFisher (Nov 20, 2011)

I havent heard anything, yall can keep it though cause i just got a new .270!


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## Papa-T (Sep 5, 2011)

It's bad up here. Some places I've heard (But can’t confirm) their estimating a 70% mortality loss. I know Stone Mountain State park has found approximately 100 dead already. They say you can usually double or triple the amount found to get an accurate count. I know in Alleghany where I live it's not as bad as the lower county's where the temperature has been hotter. I know of 12 found near me and their not even registering Alleghany as a badly affected area. I guess its cooler here so it hasn't been as bad. But seems like every time I go in the woods somewhere you can smell dead deer. I know the NCWRC are having a special public meeting on the 20th in Wilkesboro to discuss the currant and long term affects. I will be there for sure. They said; (Quote from NCWRC-RALEIGH,N.C. (August 23) "Because the disease cannot spread to humans, hunters should not worry about dressing deer or eating venison." and "HD occurs somewhere in North Carolina each year, most often in the Coastal Plain region. The last major outbreak in the state was in 2007. Other notable outbreaks occurred in 1939, 1955, 1961, 1971, 1976,1988, 1994, 1999, 2000, 2002 and 2011. In years of severe HD outbreaks, deer mortality in some local areas was often as high as 30 percent. However, in most cases, mortality is much lower."


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## Finger_Mullet (Aug 19, 2005)

We call it black tongue in our parts. They get the disease from the little crab looking things that looks like a sideways crawling tick. It is a midge. It is a fly but when it finds a host the wings fall off. The deer that I hve seen this year are covered in them. Much more than usual. 

The deer with black tongue have all the same symptoms your described above. You can genarlly tell the deer that has had it and survived. They have cracked hooves. Their hooves bust or crack when they get it. 

We had a bad case of it years ago. One area, New Hope, got hit much worse that most other areas. I would guess over half the deer in that area died. My buddy that hunts down there said the herd has not got back to where it once was. 

We were camping with the cub scouts years ago andthe boys jumped up a young buck that was bedded on the bank of a pond. The deer jumped in the pond and drowned. It was sick and probably had black tongue.

I heard there was another round of it last year and the year before. I did not witness it but I know people that found dead deer at watering areas.

I think it is just mother nature's way of lowering the population. There are a ton of deer. Many many more than the hunters can cull. Areas can only suport a certain number before disease sets in. Just my opinion. I hate to see it. 

Darin


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## Rockfish1 (Apr 8, 2005)

I've heard both Green and Franklin counties have been hit hard...


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## Papa-T (Sep 5, 2011)

Yep,:--| natures way of population control, I guess.


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