Nov 3, 2002 By Rod Schoener 4 min read

Friday Pennsylvania Game Commission Wildlife Management Director Calvin DuBrock announced that test results from one deer found dead in Franklin Township, Greene County, showed that the deer died of epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) as expected. Last Thursday, Western Greene County Wildlife Conservation Officer Rod Burns was quick to point out the disease did not discriminate, striking down does, yearlings and even trophy bucks.

Over 100 deer in were found dead in Greene and Washington counties in a two- or three-week period.

Epizootic hemorrhagic disease was believed to be responsible for the deaths. One deer tested positive for the disease and the Game Commission is awaiting results on five others, but DuBrock noted in a PGC news release, “We are relatively certain that they also died of EHD.”

Diseased deer were found near the West Virginia border and in the Waynesburg area of Greene County and near Washington in Washington County.

Burns said, “Cold weather should take care of it (EHD).”

Since the disease is not common to this area, deer have not built up any immunity to it, and they do not display classic symptoms.

Burns noted that there isn’t any danger of the disease being transmitted to humans in its early stages, but warns hunters to avoid deer that appear to have lost all coordination and stagger about.

“Overall, the majority of the deer are perfectly fine,” Burns said. “Greene County is a big area with a lot of deer.”

Of the dead deer, some were found in scattered areas, while others were found in groups. Victims of the disease are usually found near streams, as they seek out water in the later stages of the disease.

Tests done on two deer by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture were inconclusive, so six deer were sent to the University of Georgia for analysis, where the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study unit is located. Since the disease is much more prevalent in the South, they had more experience and better tools to identify it.

Many of the deer that were found dead were reported by hunters and other persons afield. Burns said, “We appreciated the reporting. It helped a lot.”

Deer get the virus after being bitten by extremely small flies known as biting midges.

The midges die after the first hard freeze of the year, which deer and squirrel hunters are still waiting on to also bring down the remaining leaves and improve visibility.

“Hopefully, Mother Nature will take care of the problem,” Burns said. “If that (EHD) is all it is, it should just go away.”

DuBrock noted that EHD is a seasonal disease and the affected local deer herd will rebound quickly.

Burns noted that the bowhunters were joined afield two weeks ago by flintlock, junior and senior hunters antlerless deer and some squirrel and grouse hunters.

“Some junior hunters got deer, but not an overwhelming number,” Burns said. “I would say the junior and senior hunter (antlerless deer rifle hunt) turnout was about what I expected. Some of the schools had a couple of days off, so there were a few youngsters out.”

Burns expects turkey hunters to do well. “There are lots of turkeys,” he said. “In the last few, wet days they were out in the fields everywhere. The flocks aren’t huge. I haven’t seen a 50-bird flock, mostly groups of 10 to 15.”

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SQUIRREL SEASON: On another hunting note, it was brought to my attention that the outdoor calendar has been carrying an incorrect date for the end of squirrel season. The early season does not end until Nov. 30. So, wait for the leaves to come done and get back out there.

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FLY TYING CLASS: Mark DeFrank’s Fly Shop at Chalk Hill is offering fly tying classes for beginners and advanced tiers, beginning Nov. 7.

Classes will be held on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Classes for beginners will be held on Thursday (6-8 p.m.) and Saturday (1-3 p.m.), and advanced classes will be held from 7-9 p.m. on Friday.

The shop is located in the Chalk Hill Plaza.

Persons interested in obtaining more information or signing up for the 5-week course can stop at the shop between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. daily or call Mark at 724-439-5770.

Herald-Standard outdoor writer Rod Schoener can be reached on line at rschoener@heraldstandard.com.