Bluetongue virus outbreak

[Cletus38]

I'll be headed for Garfield County come deer season. WDFW advises Eastern regions are experiencing widespread whitetail bluetongue including the area we hunt.
Question: WDFW suggests not to harvest whitetails found with the disease, but what to do if you knock one down? Safe to eat? Tag it or leave it?
Hate to leave a carcass in the field, but wondering what to do in this situation.

Thanks,Cletus

[WALLEYEGUY]

Would take pics and leave it and notify DNR  .  From what we have seen in the Spokane area, 15 dead whitetails on less than 10 acres.   Saw one buck staggering around, let me get within 10 yards before walking away, and he was dead the next day, would not want to eat him..  Keep fingers crossed for frost and rain soon.

[elkboy]

Bluetongue, which is a viral disease (not bacterial/fungal), does not affect humans.  If the only thing affecting the deer is bluetongue, then the animal's meat is safe to consume.
Check for:
1) a swollen, bluish tongue
2) lesions (sores) on the upper palate (roof of the deer's mouth)
3) hemorrhage around and in the lungs (one deer I sampled a week ago had almost completely lost her lungs prior to death)
4) possibly, coronitis or sloughing of the outer rim of the hoof
These are some of the main symptoms of bluetongue and similar hemorrhagic fevers.  I would check for other signs of an unhealthy deer, such as liver discoloration or abscesses, that may indicate an animal that is actually unfit for consumption.  The liver should be a dark red and have a firm feel to it.

The deer we have lost apparently died rather quickly.  Also, the creeks are flowing again, at least where I am, so hopefully this episode is behind us.  If you do harvest a deer with bluetongue, notify WDFW so they can map occurrence.

Good luck on your hunt!

[GameHunter1959]

I found a nice 4 point dead in the bottom of a creek bed 2 weeks ago, while archery hunting. I was on private land, and the land owner prepared me in advance that they have been finding dead whitetails on their property. They had found 7 in a 2 week span. I found number 8 and reported it to the land owner, who in turn documenting the finding with the WSDFW. I watched this deer all Summer with 5 other legal bucks. My fear was the rest of the bucks would also get it and die off. A real nice 6x5 in the group. Biggest buck I have seen this year. Hopefully he is alive and healthy.

[Skyvalhunter]

Thats a shame to hear about the outbreak

[boneaddict]

Every major drought here.  Just about the time they recover from the last one.
 

[jasnt]

Predators sill be fat this year

[Bob33]

SPOKANE – The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has confirmed an outbreak of bluetongue disease in white-tailed deer in the state’s drought-stricken eastern region, but wildlife managers say this year’s hunting seasons will not be affected.

WDFW veterinarian Kristin Mansfield said today that bluetongue is a common virus transmitted by biting gnats at water sources where deer congregate during dry conditions. Every year in late summer and early fall, some white-tailed deer are lost to bluetongue and a similar virus known as EHD (epizootic hemorrhagic disease).

She said the department does not know precisely how many deer have been affected, but reports are more widespread and numerous than in the past, probably because of the severe drought across the region.
 As of Sept. 17, WDFW had received reports of suspected deaths from bluetongue or EHD in several portions of the department’s eastern region, which includes Asotin, Columbia, Ferry, Garfield, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, Walla Walla and Whitman counties.

WDFW wildlife managers said the emergence of the disease will not affect this year’s hunting seasons.  Archery deer hunting season is under way now, and muzzleloader and modern firearm seasons start next month.
 WDFW will continue to monitor effects of the disease until it subsides. Mansfield said outbreaks usually end with the arrival of colder, wetter weather, when deer move away from gnat-infested areas, or by the first hard frost, which kills the disease-carrying gnats.

The department urges people who observe suspected bluetongue or EHD in white-tailed deer to call WDFW’s eastern regional office in Spokane at 509-892-1001 or the department’s dead wildlife hotline at 1-800-606-8768.
 Bluetongue and EHD are spread by biting gnats, not from deer to deer, and are not transmissible to humans.  Nonetheless, WDFW discourages hunters from shooting and consuming animals that are obviously sick. Other wildlife species, including mule deer, are rarely affected.

Symptoms in the early stages include lethargy, disorientation, lameness, or unresponsiveness to the presence of humans. Later signs include excessive salivation or foaming at the mouth and a swollen tongue.

Mansfield said the disease often kills deer so quickly – within a day or two – that their bodies remain in good condition, but others may not die immediately but stop eating and become emaciated. She said the incubation period for these diseases is five to 10 days, so afflicted deer may be observed for a couple of weeks after the first hard frost of fall.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/news/sep1815a/

[jasnt]

Slight frost at my place this morning. I haven't seen any sign of blue tongue in my hunting area probably due to the fast flowing small river but I been watching close anyway. Saw about 2 dozen does last night while watching the river otters. Happy to see a lot of fat healthy fawns!

[James E]

I hunt in that area as well. The white tail, were really starting to come back in my area. It was hit real hard around 7, or 8 years ago.

[elkboy]

I'm still seeing a healthy number of deer in our Whitman County area, even after the outbreak.  Streams are flowing in our area again as well, and we are not seeing any newly dead whitetails.  Temperatures got down to 36 deg F last night, which should put the hurt on the virus-spreading gnats. 

By the way, I just received the diagnosis from the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab.  Bluetongue was confirmed in both deer I submitted (2.5 year old buck, and 1.5 year old doe).  Epizootic hemorrhagic fever, a similar disease, was not diagnosed. 

Good luck to all of you this year!  Happy September.   

[jasnt]

Was 31 at my place this morning when I got up. Frost on the windshield

[elkboy]

Great news, Jasnt- the culicoid gnats are NOT frost-hardy.  That'll help put a stop to bluetongue in your area!

[Sumpnneedskillin]

Unfortunately it wasn't as cold on this side the river.  It was 44 when I left for work this morning.