Wisconsin wildlife officials report surge in dead deer due to disease

Wildlife regulators in southeastern Wisconsin have received nearly 900 reports of dead deer linked to an outbreak of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD). The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) confirmed the viral disease in two wild deer in Washington County last month. The virus is transmitted by biting flies or midges and is often fatal to deer, though it does not pose a risk of infection to humans.

Jasmine Batten, the DNR’s wildlife health section supervisor, noted that the state is seeing “significantly higher total numbers” of dead deer compared to previous outbreaks. The reports are concentrated in several areas, including approximately 700 in Washington County, over 150 in Waukesha County, and more than 30 in Ozaukee County. Batten stated that an outbreak of this magnitude could be “devastating to landowners and hunters” due to the reduction in deer populations heading into the fall hunting season.

Wisconsin first detected EHD in 2002. While the disease is more common in the southern and western United States, outbreaks in Wisconsin typically occur between August and October when insect populations are highest. Environmental factors, such as drought conditions, may influence the spread of the disease.