The Pennsylvania Game Commission has just announced that 30 to 40 deer were found dead in Crawford County, PA, and it was determined their cause of death was due to the hemorrhagic disease. 

Hemorrhagic disease (HD) affects wild cervids and is caused by viruses, either epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus or bluetongue virus, that are spread from a bite by midges. 

While both elk and deer in Pennsylvania are susceptible to infection, white-tail deer are far more susceptible and large-scale mortality occurs to them. 

The Game Commission has monitored HD to keep track of what viral strains occur from year to year, as well as determine if there are population-level implications. To date, no significantly negative disease impacts have been identified and local populations quickly recover following an outbreak. 

Over the past few years, midge populations have expanded to higher, warmer, drier latitudes in North America, resulting in previously unexposed wild deer and elk populations are potentially being introduced to a novel pathogen. 

HD does not present a danger to people or their pets. Nonetheless, the Game Commission urges the public to remain at a safe distance when observing wildlife and to not handle wildlife unless they are hunting, trapping, or otherwise authorized to do so. 

The public is encouraged to report cases of two or more dead deer found in the same area at the same time by calling the Game Commission at 1-833-742-9453.

NY Pheasant Hunters Rejoice!

New York pheasant hunters are enjoying the fall pheasant hunting season that just a few months ago remained questionable regarding if it would happen or not. 

In March, an outbreak of the Highly Pathogenic Asian Influenza (HPAI) devastated the breeder flock at the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Reynolds Game Farm in Ithaca, which is the only DEC’s facility for raising pheasants. The entire flock of breeding pheasants, approximately 6,600 birds were depopulated and most of the facility was placed under quarantine. 

DEC wildlife biologist Evan Wills, who manages the Reynolds Game Farm said, “We did end up losing our breeder flock, but we were able to work hand-in-hand within the agency to get a contract out for a bid and were able to secure some birds from private contractors.”

Wills said, “DEC will be stocking possibly up to 28,000 birds. Typically, as many as 32,000 to 36,000 pheasants are annually stocked, which equates to possibly 80% for this year compared to years past.” 

More information can be found on DEC’s pheasant hunting web page:  dec.ny.gov/outdoor/8363.html.