I was in tree at my farm but our lease in western Ky my son and couple other guys were hunting it. Last couple weeks nearly zero pics on cell cams. My son found 3 dead in creek bed. The guys hunting the farm across the river from it stopped to talk to him. They had found 6 bucks in the last 3 weeks. All the shooters we had on cam. One 12 point 4.5 year old that grossed 158
Sickening. I called farmer and he said they found around 10 dead when he ran the soybeans

I always enjoy it, a little bit, when the rich folks get burned by nature. Over the years, I have lost all of my private property hunting to people who are willing to fork over the cash to hunt the land I used to. Most of those properties had multiple hunters who took multiple P & Y and B & C deer. Now, a couple hunters pay thousands of dollars and shoot a a biggun' once every 5 years or so. There are very few deer on those properties today because mother nature is taking care of business. Meanwhile, we lose more hunters every year because of the lack of access to hunting opportunities. Anyway, just throwing my feelers out there. Rant over.

I found 3 dead ones on public lane the boys hunted youth season. youngest still shot two

What does that have to go with me? 6 of us went in 7 years ago and leased 220 acres. Last year crop leasor allowed anyone to hunt it so I didn’t mess with it. Too many people. Farmer called me in January almost begging us to hunt it since i shoot does as quick as a buck. Other guys wouldn’t shoot does In fact I haven’t killed but one buck on it in 7 years. Other years my 40 acres or my cousins farm. 2 inches of rain in 3.5 months with 80 degrees still in November is perfect storm for EHD.

Well, Uncle J., you are the exception to the rule. I was just stating my experience. I've been ticked off about my personal/local situation for years. You just threw a spark on the gas in my brain. Nothing personal against you.

Hey jbyrd I heard someone say that EHD seems to effect mature deer more so than younger deer. Is this true? Eric

It did in this case from what they saw today. Or didn’t see I should say. That region is or was well populated. That might have contributed.
Trapper keck the farmer let us have it for pennies on the dollar of what he had leased it before we got it. Understanding that I shoot does. Other hunters he leased it to didn’t kill a deer trying to kill a booner that was using the farm. Crop damage was unreal that year ! Our agreement was we had to kill 15 deer off of it each year.

I don't have any experience with it but I read an article not too long ago that eluded to that as well.

Man that sucks, it hit us hard a few years ago here.

My contact at KS Fish and Game told me the other day that he has sampled more dead deer this year than any other year in his 11 years of working for them. All of them suspected EHD. My neighbor has found 3 dead ones near his creek over the last few weeks. The number of deer has pretty much dropped to zero on my place over the last couple of months. Sucks that it will be a few years before the population can rebuild itself. Game and Fish guy says it is pretty cyclic in terms of the severe outbreaks, about every 10-12 years it is really bad. Some get infected and survive, with some immunity intact. The does can pass on that immunity to their immediate offspring. However those fawns don't have the ability to pass on the immunity to their offspring. So you get about 2 generations with some immunity.

It was bad around here and I just heard it affects the big bucks more because when they are in velvet the midge flies have direct access to their blood exposed antlers.

Bummer.
I wonder if a deer watering hole caused it.

Sorry to hear of it, it will take a lot of bucks unfortunately.
And it's not because you're a rich LO, lol.
Drought there?
Biting midges cause it and usually in drought years, low water.

Yes with exception to 2 days that first hurricane brought rain we had less than 2/10 from august 24-november 5th

From what I have heard from biologists around here, EDH causes fever and the deer seek water holes to cool off and end up dying there.

Agree 100% Also here we have an elite poaching ring so very few big bucks survive.

Way too bad

about 5 or 6 years back I went from seeing multiple groups and at least 8 deer every day when I drove around the farm. Then they all but vanished and if u saw a deer once a week or two it was news to tell the family. I found 6 dead the newborn found 9 the kids found a few up at the other neighbors. it was low population for several years and has not recovered back to whare it was yet.

the DNR did reduce our county bonus anttlerless limit from 8 to 2 the next year. It's at 3 this year. To many city people come out and hunt small chunks of land and shoot everything they see. 4 guys on 10 acres could have shot over 40 deer not that there were that many but you see the point. They don't care about conservation they just want to get their deer for bragging rights and often give them away if they don't toss them out other than the back hams and back strip.

Add in the Amish in the area and I almost feel bad shooting any here at home.

https://www.sdnewswatch.org/sdsu-study-shows-worlds-most-common-pesticide-a-danger-to-deer/

Chemicals are the culprit, our farming practices are the problems, the farm bureau's and farmers r only worried about there pocket books. It's beyond me how anyone can destroy lives and our country either 1st or second handily.

Chemicals lower emune system on all animals and people.

EHD kills a thousand times the deer CWD does.