Blue Tongue

[Platensek-po]

Saw a report saying they have seen EHD on the westside in blacktail

[Ronquillo08]

Saw a report saying they have seen EHD on the westside in blacktail

Can i get a link?

[Platensek-po]

Saw a report saying they have seen EHD on the westside in blacktail

Can i get a link?

This year, the department also had reports of diseased black-tailed deer in Central Oregon, which is a little unusual, Gillin said. The viruses more often affect white-tailed deer, he said.

“We expect it. We've seen it more and more and more over the last 10 years, the more that we've had drought conditions increase,” Gillin said.


https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.opb.org/article/2021/09/12/northwest-deer-dying-of-drought-related-viral-disease/%3foutputType=amp

[bigmacc]

Saw a report saying they have seen EHD on the westside in blacktail

Can i get a link?

This year, the department also had reports of diseased black-tailed deer in Central Oregon, which is a little unusual, Gillin said. The viruses more often affect white-tailed deer, he said.

“We expect it. We've seen it more and more and more over the last 10 years, the more that we've had drought conditions increase,” Gillin said.


https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.opb.org/article/2021/09/12/northwest-deer-dying-of-drought-related-viral-disease/%3foutputType=amp

EHD has been around for ever pretty much, droughts have been happening from time to time for ever, heck I've lived through many, I remember back in the 80,s when Sullivans pond dried up during about a 10 year drought, ironically during this particular drought the pond is staring to fill up again after 40 or so years(can't figure that one out ). My point is, more government agencies blaming everything on climate change, now blue tongue is attributed to climate change induced drought. What about all the other outbreaks of blue tongue that have happened since people can remember. My great grandma remembered and told stories about an outbreak of blue tongue(what they later figured, same symptoms etc) that wiped out 100,s of mule deer and white tail in Alberta back in the late 1800,s, when she was just a girl, remembers her dad burying them or burning them on their ranch. Now its climate change, back then it was just 5, 10 or 15 year stretches of hot, dry weather that triggered disease, I guess climate change was around back then to cause it, they just didn't have a "political" name for it yet.....sorry, just an observation concerning blue tongue and some history.

[LDennis24]

I agree bigmacc. I remember when I was in high school hearing reports of the mule deer dying from a mystery disease around the Cheney area then not hearing anything at all and the deer are still here as strong as ever.

[jrebel]

For what you asked Dale, yes the mosquito donut dunks will kill Midge larvae and gnats as well. I live on the western edge of Whitman county and all the whitetail around my place are doing fine there's actually more than I'm used to seeing and the water is still running behind my house. I have a small spring that stays on my property and they seem to be staying around for that water. I also have less mosquitoes this year than I've ever had so the larvae from those Midge flies and other types might be affected also. This was sent out to folks in Kamiah the other day.

Thanks, I googled and found this, I already ordered some to put in the wildlife water tank I have on my place:
https://www.amazon.com/Summit-responsible-solutions-110-12-Mosquito/dp/B0000AH849/ref=psdc_3737941_t2_B07PFQYWBX

 - Kills mosquitoes before they're old enough to bite
 - The only product with bti, bacteria toxic only to mosquito larvae
 - Lasts for 30 days and treats 100 square feet of surface water
 - Non-toxic to all other wildlife , pets, fish, and humans
 - Labeled for organic gardening by the usepa

UPDATE:
This product worked great, there was a lot of insect larvae swimming around in my water tank, a few days after putting one of these in the tank there was none alive in the tank and the animals are still watering, doesn't seem to discourage their use of the waterhole. I'm glad it worked and hoping we can save a few deer around my place. Unfortunately I don't know how many other places they could be watering.

Just ordered some for my water tank.  Thanks for the update.  I hope they get here in time for me to make a difference.  I empty and fill the water take once a month, but anything to help.   

[Ifinch36]

Saw my first blue tongue deer a doe on my place Sunday. She walked in cycles until she was out front of my house in my field. The game dept didn't return my call, so I called SO and asked for a deputy to come out and put the poor thing down. A Deputy called right back and gave me permission to do the deed. It's not like harvesting a deer this was very emotional for me. I saw another one a 3 point buck yesterday just down the road from my house. By the time a Warden got there the buck was gone. He told me that they are spending most if not all of their time right now dealing with sick or dead deer. I haven't seen blue tongue this bad around here since 1993, the heards have never been the same since that year. Just north of Chewelah.

Our group came across a young buck while hunting near colville this last week that had blue tongue. Even though we had never experienced it, it was very obvious he had it. We called fish and game and spoke with a Sgt who told us to dispatch it. I completely relate with it being emotional. I found it really strange how harvesting an animal can be so natural, but putting a sick animal down is so unnatural. I've thought about it a lot and the thing I think it boils down to is taking a life just to kill it. From talking to the Sgt it sounds like as soon as the animal is dead so is the virus. It was definitely the right thing to do, but it still didn't feel right.

[hunter399]

Seen one die in the highway other day.
Thing was out in the highway standing in the middle of lane.
Finally collapsed but still alive ,truck came along and finished her off.
Then I was on a side road in the woods yesterday,seen a dead deer laying there.Think someone dumped it off ,by the tire tracks.
So that's three I seen dead with my own eye.

[ljsommer]

I have a late season rifle Palouse white-tail tag I was planning on hunting in November but I have heard nothing but horror stories about the whitetail and bluetongue this year.

[deereman]

I had a whitetail buck die last week at my place a hundred yards away from my bunkhouse out in the middle of a meadow pasture between Fishtrap and Edwall. The whitetail population hasn’t even began to recover from the last round of blue tongue.

[Pathfinder101]

Just found a whitetail doe in the swampy creek behind my house.  The smell alerted us.  Definitely Blue Tongue.   

[ljsommer]

Genuine question I've been noodling for a while: With the bluetongue impact as it is, is there a moral quandary around doing a whitetail hunt this November?

[BULLBLASTER]

Does anyone know how the recent rains may affect the outbreak? Will it lessen it?

[buckfvr]

I think most of the damage is done by now, still hearing of dead ones found in the 2000 ft elevation and below range, so far doesnt seem to be much of a problem 2500 and up, but thats not fact. 

[andersonjk4]

Does anyone know how the recent rains may affect the outbreak? Will it lessen it?

I think it would be very location dependent.  Since the midge larva lives in wet mud, it could create more mud and spur more hatching, but at the same time it should create more, and hopefully better, watering options for the deer.

The property I just purchased in southern Spokane county has about a dozen little ponds (which about half are totally dry this year) and according to farmers in years past has been a hot bed for EHD killed deer (30-40 deer one year).  But so far I have not found any dead deer around the ponds yet. So I think it is very location dependent.

Lets all just hope for frosty nights.  One good freeze will put an end to it.