There have been numerous reports of people finding dead deer in Southern Michigan and Northern Indiana. They believe these deer are dying of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) which is a viral disease that affects white-tailed deer. It's spread by biting midges, also called no-see-ums, and is most common in late summer and early fall. EHD is usually fatal to deer, but some can survive and develop immunity. From the reports, this disease is spreading quickly as people are finding expired deer everywhere, and they are mainly finding bucks.
We want to make everyone aware so that we can monitor the beaches and the lake for expired deer, as they most likely will go to water when they are sick. We have already had one resident that found a dead deer on their beach, they notified the DNR and they came and removed it.
Everyone is encouraged to let the DNR and the Board know if they find any deer that have expired. We need to make sure to get the deer removed from the lake, as well as for tracking purposes.
If there are any questions or concerns, please let the Board know. You can also contact Chad Harpster ([email protected]) directly as he is keeping an eye on this issue.