BYC Café

[OrganicFarmWife]

Good morning! Things have been mild here, if too dry. But, not too long ago, a couple years back we had giant herds of whitetail. So bad that we had some disease then run through them. I do not know what exactly, it was something about water. It wiped the herds, but there are still plenty left and they are returning.

 

[sourland]

Good morning! Things have been mild here, if too dry. But, not too long ago, a couple years back we had giant herds of whitetail. So bad that we had some disease then run through them. I do not know what exactly, it was something about water. It wiped the herds, but there are still plenty left and they are returning.

There is some sort of a hemorrhagic disease that is spread by a midge/gnat/blackfly that breeds around stagnant water. Perhaps that was the disease. Good morning all.

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

Good morning! Things have been mild here, if too dry. But, not too long ago, a couple years back we had giant herds of whitetail. So bad that we had some disease then run through them. I do not know what exactly, it was something about water. It wiped the herds, but there are still plenty left and they are returning.

There is some sort of a hemorrhagic disease that is spread by a midge/gnat/blackfly that breeds around stagnant water.  Perhaps that was the disease.  Good morning all. 

Maybe...I cannot remember. I know most of the deer died in the river beds. It is one of my favorite arguments whenever I meet a vegetarian who trys to tell people how terrible hunting is.

 

[Bunnylady]

There's an island community near here whose efforts to control their deer population has been a frequent source of controversy. Since it's an island, what gets born there tends to stay there, and with no animal predators, things get quickly out of hand. The most common cause of deer fatalities is collisions with cars, and that carries a certain risk for humans, as well (to say nothing of the cost of the damage). But oh, no, you mustn't kill Bambi's mother.

 

[WVduckchick]

Oh, don't even get me started on deer over-population and hunting...

You will never change those people's minds. They'd rather them die horrible deaths from lack of food to sustain such populations, I guess.

West Virginia always ranks up there in the car vs. deer crash statistics. <knock on wood> I've only ever ran over one just after it was hit by the car in front of me, but more near-misses than I care to think about.

 

[WVduckchick]

And here's the whole map (from State Farm collision reports)

 

[sourland]

I've hit one and been hit by two. The Princess has hit three and run over another much like you did, WV. One evening in a hay field out the end of our road I counted 52 deer.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

And here's the whole map (from State Farm collision reports)

Yes, but the deer I saw in Mississippi would amount to little more than a speed bump. I was horrified the first time I saw photos of the "hunt" as it looked at first like they had killed fawns, not adult deer (btw, horrified only due to that - not by the hunt itself - rather enjoy venison, elk, etc and fully support good population control hunts)

Good morning! Things have been mild here, if too dry. But, not too long ago, a couple years back we had giant herds of whitetail. So bad that we had some disease then run through them. I do not know what exactly, it was something about water. It wiped the herds, but there are still plenty left and they are returning.

Thinking of Chronic Wasting Disease?

 

[sourland]

Perhaps epizootic hemorrhagic disease spread by a biting midge - also known as blue tongue disease.

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

And here's the whole map (from State Farm collision reports)

Yes, but the deer I saw in Mississippi would amount to little more than a speed bump. I was horrified the first time I saw photos of the "hunt" as it looked at first like they had killed fawns, not adult deer (btw, horrified only due to that - not by the hunt itself - rather enjoy venison, elk, etc and fully support good population control hunts)

Good morning! Things have been mild here, if too dry. But, not too long ago, a couple years back we had giant herds of whitetail. So bad that we had some disease then run through them. I do not know what exactly, it was something about water. It wiped the herds, but there are still plenty left and they are returning.

Thinking of Chronic Wasting Disease?

Maybe, I wish I could remember,that does sound familiar though. Whatever it was it dropped herds of 50+ back to more reasonable numbers like 6. My father and brothers hunt, I am sure they could tell me what it was. But I am certain many a fawn lost its mother and died do to it. Much better to hunt adult deers that have nothing depending on them, much less tragic.