Welcome to TheOhioOutdoors
Wanting to join the rest of our members? Login or sign up today!
Sign up

2025 EHD?

Creamer said:
Curious observation, I'd be interested to hear if anyone else has seen anything like this. We have a "yard doe" that has been hanging around the property all summer. She's been easy to spot for the last week+ because she has sort of a spotty coat. It's like her fall coat started coming in early so she is easy to ID. About 10 days ago, she had that lethargic, weak-looking, apathetic demeanor that made me think she's got EHD and she doesn't have long. She's still alive, still acting the same. I literally can see her out my window right now by our pines. She's practically been standing in one place for almost 15 minutes now. I read online some deer do survive EHD, so it makes me wonder if she's had/does have it but she might survive it? It's interesting that I have read about southern deer developing some level of immunity from EHD. I'm optimistic at this point she might survive, but we'll see what happens.
Click to expand...
If I remember right from what I have read, 20% of deer can or will survive the illness. The mothers can pass along some level of immunity to their fawns the next spring. But it only lasts one year. Also if a different variant of ehd hits, the immunity may not help.
 
Bighoun52 said:
If I remember right from what I have read, 20% of deer can or will survive the illness. The mothers can pass along some level of immunity to their fawns the next spring. But it only lasts one year. Also if a different variant of ehd hits, the immunity may not help.
Click to expand...
I believe this is correct, similar to what I have read. It is also similar to most viruses. Cattle (I think) are more immune due to constant bacterial and viral inoculations occurring. Basically, the flu shot changes each year, ever so slightly, to mimic the flu variants likely to be most common that particular season.

It is interesting that some in the SE part of the USA say they dont get EHD like they used to see it, and that they equate that to herd immunity over the years? I am not sure if there is any validity there, but I have seen that claim made multiple times this year on the internet from folks.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GoetzTalon and Bighoun52
The DNR was in my taxidermist's shop last year taking CWD samples. He saw my bucks hooves and said it could be a sign of surviving EHD. Not sure what led him to belive that, but an interesting observation nonetheless.

20241109_094758.webp
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: TinyTucky, Big_Holla, at1010 and 5 others
@brock ratcliff I’m curious your take on this but realistically could ODNR hire drone operators to get deer populations in the worst hit areas? Seems if just flying to count thermal light deer - a drone could cover a lot of ground quickly? Maybe a thermal on an airplane is better?
 
at1010 said:
@brock ratcliff I’m curious your take on this but realistically could ODNR hire drone operators to get deer populations in the worst hit areas? Seems if just flying to count thermal light deer - a drone could cover a lot of ground quickly? Maybe a thermal on an airplane is better?
Click to expand...
It would be entirely possible to get a far better population estimate than they have ever had before. However, the Dow is dug in deep to the belief they can form accurate models based off of harvest trends. They see no need to make changes or improvements in modeling. Per Tonkovich @ Strouds with at least 25 witnesses; “If we kill too many, people will quit hunting and the herd will rebound.” And in that he is correct. Prior to him saying that, I was completely wrong in my thinking that the DoW were managing to insure a balance between happy stakeholders. His statement proved to me that we sportsmen are not the stakeholders he was concerned with.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bowhunter1023, Big_Holla and giles

I realize he has retired but want to invite those concerned to listen to this podcast. At the 50-55 minute mark he mentions how Ohio May have to move to a market venison situation to control excess deer. He makes mention of it two times in the podcast. Additionally, he sites a decrease in the percentage of bucks entered into OBBC as a metric for declining buck antler quality. Anyone with an ounce of common sense would know the OBBC is not the benchmark it historically was. Mason’s exceptional buck from 2020 has never been scored for BC or the OBBC. And I don’t think his is an exception. A Buckmaster scorer was at our home to measure that deer less than five hours after he killed it. Times have changed; metrics change.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Big_Holla and 5Cent
brock ratcliff said:

I realize he has retired but want to invite those concerned to listen to this podcast. At the 50-55 minute mark he mentions how Ohio May have to move to a market venison situation to control excess deer. He makes mention of it two times in the podcast. Additionally, he sites a decrease in the percentage of bucks entered into OBBC as a metric for declining buck antler quality. Anyone with an ounce of common sense would know the OBBC is not the benchmark it historically was. Mason’s exceptional buck from 2020 has never been scored for BC or the OBBC. And I don’t think his is an exception. A Buckmaster scorer was at our home to measure that deer less than five hours after he killed it. Times have changed; metrics change.
Click to expand...
Agreed, the one constant in any formula is change.
 
brock ratcliff said:
It would be entirely possible to get a far better population estimate than they have ever had before. However, the Dow is dug in deep to the belief they can form accurate models based off of harvest trends. They see no need to make changes or improvements in modeling. Per Tonkovich @ Strouds with at least 25 witnesses; “If we kill too many, people will quit hunting and the herd will rebound.” And in that he is correct. Prior to him saying that, I was completely wrong in my thinking that the DoW were managing to insure a balance between happy stakeholders. His statement proved to me that we sportsmen are not the stakeholders he was concerned with.
Click to expand...

That is frustrating. I have been suggesting (loosely) that we utilize these drones to manage township-level areas for DPSM. It seems that it would be affordable, and also allow for areas that need herd reduction to be accurately reduced and those that need herd increase, by biological standards, to be increased.

My good buddy lives in PA, and they have zones around some suburban areas. They will say zone A needs 30 does shot. So they sell those tags, and once they are gone, they are gone. You can't bring in 40 more hunters 40 to shoot more. Likewise, for the individual who only bucks hunt, this allows others who feel they need to manage the population to do so.

I also think this would give the ODNR strong backing as they are then able to have statistical data to show "township X needs a 30% reduction based on hunter harvest data, thermal drone survey, state forester feedback, etc." - we could legit map out the entire state by township.

Ok - I know, I know my enthusiasm about this is likely unrealistic and I need to stop rambling,but a guy can dream!!

Ps - I have been lucky to kill a few decent bucks, I never put a tape to one. Just not my thing. I'm happy with the animal on the wall, I dont need a "score" to increase or dilute my happiness. That is my personal take, but I am sure others feel the same and dont "score" many bucks.
 
  • Like
Reactions: md1 and brock ratcliff
J said:
How cost effective would drone use be? That would be their deciding factor I’d imagine.
Click to expand...
I think it’s the effort required. Our biologist rarely leave the office unless it’s to speak publicly. We do not do extensive research on whitetail deer. Regarding Cwd, we have tried to follow what other states have done to this point, which is ridiculous considering those states have had zero positive effect on CWD spread.
 
  • Like
Reactions: giles, bowhunter1023, "J" and 1 other person
You must log in or register to reply here.