# Black Tounge!!!



## ClickerCrazy (Feb 4, 2006)

As soon as I start to get all jacked up for deer season this year, a trip to my camp almost made me cry.

I live near Belpre Ohio. Don't how much of a problem it has been anywhere else, but there are deer starting to pile up! I got in my boat and started down the Little Hocking towards the Big O, and counted 5 that where in the water all bloated. The next day there was at least 2 more that I could see. When I went to check my camera this morning I was surprised to find that all I had was a pic of two fawns and a fowl odor in the air. I looked around, but couldn't find anything, but I'm afraid that it is just going to get worse in the next few days with the temps staying as hot as they are. 

The real sad thing is, I know 15 people that called the DNR and some even called the Sheriff and head of agriculture around here, and would you believe that not a single person recieved a return phone call. Unbeliveable! I just hope we get a freeze around here fast. The Parkersburg Sentinal had an article in the paper last Sunday about finding near 100 dead a couple of weeks ago just off ST RT 7 between Belpre and Marietta. All those nice bucks......I just hope it ends soon.

Anyone else have this happening around them?


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## supercanoe (Jun 12, 2006)

Found 2 dead ones while out saturday (muskingum county). Talked to some neighbors, anyone who spends time out and about has been finding dead ones recently. One guy up the road found 11, one found 3, and another found 1. It really sucks, we manage our herd for trophy deer, and this EHD kills with no discrimination. It's natures way though I guess. Could be a rough year, should know better after some stand time how many deer it killed.


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

It's Blue Tongue, not black tongue. In defense of the wildlife officers, what do you expect them to do? They obviously can&#8217;t investigate every single deer that dies. Nature will take its course and there&#8217;s nothing anyone can do about it. I think (and hope), that it&#8217;ll turn out to not be as devastating as it may appear right now. EHD outbreaks happen every few years, but the herd bounces back quite quickly.


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## Carpn (Apr 5, 2004)

EHD has hit the deer herds for ever...It really sucks to lose deer like that and I consider myself very fortunate that my areas appear to have been spared. They will recover though. While out on the Ohio river Sat. night bowfishing we found a dead one and smelled sveral more .Some KY guys I know have been loosing a bunch of deer to it too.


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## ClickerCrazy (Feb 4, 2006)

Magis, don't get me wrong, I'm not condeming the dnr. I have heard they are understaffed, and I don't expect them to pick them up out of the river, I was just surprised that out of that many people not a one recieved a call back. Sorry about the black tounge thing, I had the wrong color  .


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

I had not heard of the EHD referred to as blue tongue. I assume that name comes from the appearance of the dead deer? I am curious so that I may be able to make a more educated guess on any that I may find. I feel fortunate that thus far we have not seen it on my land. (Knox county)

I am sure it is disturbing to see that many dead deer but as others have said the herd should bounce back rather quickly. And it appears that the areas that have the outbreak are counties that are probably well over the carrying capacity. I guess knowing that the herd was very high in numbers prior to the outbreak could be considered a blessing.


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

> I assume that name comes from the appearance of the dead deer? I am curious so that I may be able to make a more educated guess on any that I may find.


It comes from the appearance of an infected deer. However, I'm not sure if there's a visual way to verify how a deer died. Colors fade and change quite quickly after death, and prying open the mouth of a dead deer is no picnic.


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## BigChessie (Mar 12, 2005)

So far so good in Ross and Pickaway county. Would make sense that it would appear more often around the rivers though.


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## jkeeney20 (Mar 21, 2006)

I was walking up the creek to my bluegill hole and discovered the huge 13 point I been watching eat from my been field...looked like it had died withing the past day....looked like it had a blood spot from a gun shot or what not....thinking it might have been poached from my field...looked like it was hit high on the hind legs and ran about 100 yards before lying down to die.....its a shame I tell you...A PURE WASTE...at this time I wish it was the disease or what not that killed it...


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## bulafisherman (Apr 11, 2004)

what countys has the EHD been confined to? I usually make a trip to muskingum co, thinking about looking else where due to the number of hunters on public land,this might just put me over the edge,might be better off behind the house up north here.


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## crappiebub (Apr 5, 2004)

Here are a few articles.
http://www.ohioagriculture.gov/Admn/News/2007/news_anim_083107_EHDSouthernOhio.pdf

http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Home/wil...icHemorrhagicDisease/tabid/15345/Default.aspx

http://www.cattlenetwork.com/content.asp?contentid=158379


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