We killed this EHD mule deer on our place last night. Usually EHD doesn't have a big impact on mule deer, but it is in our area. This one was bad enough to qualify as "antlerless" under the CPW rules.

We have 2 other deer still in velvet that are absolutely EHD positive. I'll get pictures and post here if I can.

The "male" parts of this buck were difficult to find. Leaving evidence of sex was a bit of a challenge.

A.K.A. a Griner buck

So that's a deer that survived the disease?

So to speak. We had a really difficult time finding his testes. The last GW thought the disease progressive. If it didn't kill them, the symptoms just got worse over time.

All I know is that this deer couldn't breed and was doing nothing but eating winter forage that other deer could eat. Needed to go away.

JWM had an interesting article about this issue a couple years ago. It's not always lethal, but if they survive it may effectively castrate the deer. Became more of an issue when they decreased buck harvest.

JWM? All of the ones I've seen are sterile. Like a banned calf.

Journal of wildlife management

AgLA06 said:

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So that's a deer that survived the disease?

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No, he is dead

Thanks.

nimrodag99 said:

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AgLA06 said:

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So that's a deer that survived the disease?

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No, he is dead

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Well, he/she survived the disease.

Every disease that visually effects bucks becomes more of an issue when they decrease buck harvest, because as buck harvest decreases, it gets seen more.
Edit. I can't type.

I get that. Juat pointing out that the increase was also indirectly tied to a change in management strategy.

Also, just having the antibodies may trigger this response.