You’re encouraged to continue reporting sick or dead deer in your area.
MICHIGAN, USA — The Michigan Department of Natural Resources shared on Tuesday the first detected cases of epizootic hemorrhagic disease in deer in 2025.
The disease was found in some free-ranging white-tail deer in Eaton, Jackson, Van Buren and Washtenaw Counties, and confirmed the EHD virus thanks to work from the DNR Wildlife Health Section, Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study.
The DNR said EHD is a viral and sometimes fatal disease that can affect white-tailed deer in Michigan. Midges or biting flies transmit the disease through a bite. Deer cannot transmit the disease directly to one another.
Michigan wildlife regulators said there is no evidence that humans, pets or other Michigan wildlife can contract the EHD virus.
While venison harvested in areas impacted by EHD is safe for consumption, Michigan DNR said it’s not recommended that you consume any animals that are visibly sick.
Health deer harvested from areas where EHD is present are still safe to eat, Michigan DNR said.
“In past years when we’ve confirmed EHD, it has typically affected only one or a few counties,” said Brent Rudolph, deer, elk, and moose management specialist for the DNR Wildlife Division. “Occasionally, localized outbreaks have been detected in a dozen or more counties, including as many as thirty in 2012.”
EHD typically impacts deer late in the summer and early fall, and outbreaks can happen in years when there is a wet spring followed by a hot, dry summer. The first frost typically kills the midge population, which in turn stops the disease transmission.
Report sick or dead deer
If you spot a deer that you suspect contracted or died from EHD, you’re encouraged to submit a Diseased Wildlife report through the DNR’s Eyes in the Field online system.
Wildlife experts said you’ll often find sick and dead deer in or around bodies of water. Due to a high fever or dehydration, deer infected with EHD seek out water to lower their body temperature and to rehydrate.
Visible symptoms of EHD in deer include appearing lethargic, disoriented, lame or unresponsive, though these can be symptoms of other deer maladies or injuries as well. Deer infected with EHD may show bloody discharge from the nose and mouth, a swollen or blue-tinged tongue and swelling of the eyelids and around the neck or head. EHD can only be confirmed through testing by a qualified laboratory.
Once EHD is confirmed in a county, it is not necessary to continue testing for the virus, but the DNR encourages people to continue reporting suspected cases online to track the full extent of an outbreak.
Minimal impact on deer populations expected
Deer mortality can be intense in small areas and the localized impact can be felt for years in some cases, but overall, EHD outbreaks have not been shown to have a significant long-term effect on the deer population.
Deer, elk, and moose management specialist for the DNR Wildlife Division said not all deer in outbreak areas will contract EHD and not all deer that get EHD will die from it.
“Deer that survive epizootic hemorrhagic disease develop immunity to the virus, and outbreaks are rarely seen in the same area in consecutive years,” Rudolph said.
When samples are submitted from additional counties, any further detections will be shared on the DNR’s EHD website.
You can learn more about epizootic hemorrhagic disease in white-tailed deer here.