A young angler shows off a king salmon she caught.
By Jack Payne
On my daily hikes with Gunner, my Brittney, grasshoppers are jumping around on the sun-soaked fields. These fields have ferns, weeds, and such that are nearly to my waist.
In these fields are turkeys. Flocks of turkeys feed on the grasshoppers. If not for my dog busting the flocks, you would never see the birds.
So, the tip of the day: search out fields that have grasshoppers. The birds will gorge themselves on this tasty morsel until the supply is diminished. It’s a perfect ambush spot for the opening day of turkey season in mid-September. This tip can be a vital piece of information, especially when hunting on public land.
Acorns are another vital food source. Scouting will provide you with the acorn crop, and remember that some trees will drop their acorns sooner than others. Turkey and deer will quickly find these locations, and so should you.
Turkey will visit the same food source day after day until that particular food source is gone. Make it a habit to identify potential food sources whenever you're outdoors. They change from season to season.
Salmon fishing is nearing its peak on Lake Michigan, with some fish moving into the connecting waters. Folks, if you really want some fun, try jigging for the salmon.
Your standard walleye or bass rods will work fine. A two-ounce spoon will stay vertical, and many of the connecting bodies of water have some current. This is a case where it’s best to err on the heavier side than the lighter side.
Popular spoons include the Flutter Spoon from Do-It-Molds, the Luna Spoon from White River Tackle, the Swedish Pimple, and the Hopkins spoons. Anything with glow color works great, and a hint of red or orange is a nice touch.
Pier anglers might want to consider casting a Little Cleo in a glow pattern. These spoons cast like a bullet and have proven themselves with decades of success.
The best success comes to the angler willing to forgo some sleep. This past week, we were on White Lake at 5 a.m. By 7:15, the bite had noticeably slowed down.
Some anglers enjoy fishing with fresh skein. This is a productive method, but just not my favorite. When fishing from the piers, using a combination of fresh skein and casting a spoon works very well. This would be the one time that I would consider using a skein and a dead rod. Two rods are often more productive than using just one.
Any tributary connecting to Lake Michigan has an abundance of smallmouth bass. This is another great option for the shore-bound pier angler. A tip to share with you: fish the boulders. Most piers have a section where rocks and boulders are placed.
The small-mouth bass feast on the gobies. Some anglers walk up and down the pier, lifting and dropping their rods. Some like to cast. Tube jigs are effective on the bass, and a few anglers that I fished with use gobies. Yes, they catch a pail of gobies.
Using a circle hook or an octopus hook results almost always in a corner-of-the-mouth hooked bass. A drop-shot rig works, so does a slip bobber or lindy slip sinker-style rig.
Just remember, you are fishing the rocks, and if you let a sinker sit too long, it might get caught on the rocks. Walking and lifting the sinker up, letting it bounce down on the rocks might be the best.
But don’t forget about the slip bobber, it’s one of the most productive methods for any species.
Most days, there will be some current in the channel. A float will drift your bait along at a natural pace, and when the float is set properly, it will keep your bait just above the rocks.
If live bait is not your thing, then consider using a hair fly. A hair fly or a marabou jig will dance under a float. It will pulsate and flutter up and down, much like a minnow or a goby. Give one of these three options a try in September. And stop in at Bob’s Gun and Tackle Shop.
On my daily hikes with Gunner, my Brittney, grasshoppers are jumping around on the sun-soaked fields. These fields have ferns, weeds, and such that are nearly to my waist.
In these fields are turkeys. Flocks of turkeys feed on the grasshoppers. If not for my dog busting the flocks, you would never see the birds.
So, the tip of the day: search out fields that have grasshoppers. The birds will gorge themselves on this tasty morsel until the supply is diminished. It’s a perfect ambush spot for the opening day of turkey season in mid-September. This tip can be a vital piece of information, especially when hunting on public land.
Acorns are another vital food source. Scouting will provide you with the acorn crop, and remember that some trees will drop their acorns sooner than others. Turkey and deer will quickly find these locations, and so should you.
Turkey will visit the same food source day after day until that particular food source is gone. Make it a habit to identify potential food sources whenever you're outdoors. They change from season to season.
Salmon fishing is nearing its peak on Lake Michigan, with some fish moving into the connecting waters. Folks, if you really want some fun, try jigging for the salmon.
Your standard walleye or bass rods will work fine. A two-ounce spoon will stay vertical, and many of the connecting bodies of water have some current. This is a case where it’s best to err on the heavier side than the lighter side.
Popular spoons include the Flutter Spoon from Do-It-Molds, the Luna Spoon from White River Tackle, the Swedish Pimple, and the Hopkins spoons. Anything with glow color works great, and a hint of red or orange is a nice touch.
Pier anglers might want to consider casting a Little Cleo in a glow pattern. These spoons cast like a bullet and have proven themselves with decades of success.
The best success comes to the angler willing to forgo some sleep. This past week, we were on White Lake at 5 a.m. By 7:15, the bite had noticeably slowed down.
Some anglers enjoy fishing with fresh skein. This is a productive method, but just not my favorite. When fishing from the piers, using a combination of fresh skein and casting a spoon works very well. This would be the one time that I would consider using a skein and a dead rod. Two rods are often more productive than using just one.
Any tributary connecting to Lake Michigan has an abundance of smallmouth bass. This is another great option for the shore-bound pier angler. A tip to share with you: fish the boulders. Most piers have a section where rocks and boulders are placed.
The small-mouth bass feast on the gobies. Some anglers walk up and down the pier, lifting and dropping their rods. Some like to cast. Tube jigs are effective on the bass, and a few anglers that I fished with use gobies. Yes, they catch a pail of gobies.
Using a circle hook or an octopus hook results almost always in a corner-of-the-mouth hooked bass. A drop-shot rig works, so does a slip bobber or lindy slip sinker-style rig.
Just remember, you are fishing the rocks, and if you let a sinker sit too long, it might get caught on the rocks. Walking and lifting the sinker up, letting it bounce down on the rocks might be the best.
But don’t forget about the slip bobber, it’s one of the most productive methods for any species.
Most days, there will be some current in the channel. A float will drift your bait along at a natural pace, and when the float is set properly, it will keep your bait just above the rocks.
If live bait is not your thing, then consider using a hair fly. A hair fly or a marabou jig will dance under a float. It will pulsate and flutter up and down, much like a minnow or a goby. Give one of these three options a try in September. And stop in at Bob’s Gun and Tackle Shop.
Fall Colors: Peak Times and Best Spots to See Them
Michigan’s foliage typically turns in late September and early October, marking the arrival of fall.
Jonathan Oosting/Bridge Michigan
(Ed. Note: This story was originally published by Bridge Michigan, a nonprofit and nonpartisan news organization. Visit the newsroom online: bridgemi.com.)
By Janelle D. James
Bridge Michigan
One of the surest signs that fall is coming to Michigan isn’t the morning chill or the swap from sandals to sneakers. It’s the explosion of reds, oranges and golds that slowly sweep the state’s 14 billion trees.
This year, the fall colors will begin to emerge in mid-September in the Upper Peninsula, with leaves near Gaylord starting to turn around Sept. 22 and becoming more vibrant by the end of the month, according to fall foliage forecasts.
The UP is expected to hit peak color the first week of October, while northern Lower Michigan should peak in early to mid-October. The rest of the state will light up later in the month, wrapping up the season around Halloween.
Behind the show is a little science. As days grow shorter and nights cooler, chlorophyll, the green pigment that dominates in summer, begins to break down, revealing pigments that have been hiding all along.
Leaves along highways and on the edges of forests often change first and can appear more vivid thanks to extra sun exposure. That means a routine drive can turn into a scenic route during the state’s
most colorful season.
—————
A colorful reputation
Fall color tours routinely bring tourists to Michigan, and the region’s reputation for fall scenery continues to grow nationally.
Last year, USA Today ranked the UP the best place in the country to see fall colors, citing its 7 million acres of forest, Great Lakes shorelines and 10 designated color routes covering nearly 1,500 miles.
Travelers looking to time their fall color tours more precisely can sign up for weekly updates from UPTravel.com, beginning Sept. 17.
Pure Michigan, the state’s tourism arm, also has a weekly newsletter that includes fall color updates and tourist attractions.
—————
Best places to see fall colors
Michigan’s state parks, many tucked along the shores of the Great Lakes, remain some of the best spots to take it all in.
Whether it’s the fiery reds surrounding Tahquamenon Falls, the sweeping overlooks in the Porcupine Mountains or the hardwoods glowing around Ocqueoc Falls, the largest waterfall in the Lower Peninsula, there’s no shortage of views.
Classic routes, like the Tunnel of Trees along M-119, promise 22 miles of postcard-ready scenery. In West Michigan, the fall colors near Holland State Park and the Lake Macatawa shoreline will peak in October.
By Janelle D. James
Bridge Michigan
One of the surest signs that fall is coming to Michigan isn’t the morning chill or the swap from sandals to sneakers. It’s the explosion of reds, oranges and golds that slowly sweep the state’s 14 billion trees.
This year, the fall colors will begin to emerge in mid-September in the Upper Peninsula, with leaves near Gaylord starting to turn around Sept. 22 and becoming more vibrant by the end of the month, according to fall foliage forecasts.
The UP is expected to hit peak color the first week of October, while northern Lower Michigan should peak in early to mid-October. The rest of the state will light up later in the month, wrapping up the season around Halloween.
Behind the show is a little science. As days grow shorter and nights cooler, chlorophyll, the green pigment that dominates in summer, begins to break down, revealing pigments that have been hiding all along.
Leaves along highways and on the edges of forests often change first and can appear more vivid thanks to extra sun exposure. That means a routine drive can turn into a scenic route during the state’s
most colorful season.
—————
A colorful reputation
Fall color tours routinely bring tourists to Michigan, and the region’s reputation for fall scenery continues to grow nationally.
Last year, USA Today ranked the UP the best place in the country to see fall colors, citing its 7 million acres of forest, Great Lakes shorelines and 10 designated color routes covering nearly 1,500 miles.
Travelers looking to time their fall color tours more precisely can sign up for weekly updates from UPTravel.com, beginning Sept. 17.
Pure Michigan, the state’s tourism arm, also has a weekly newsletter that includes fall color updates and tourist attractions.
—————
Best places to see fall colors
Michigan’s state parks, many tucked along the shores of the Great Lakes, remain some of the best spots to take it all in.
Whether it’s the fiery reds surrounding Tahquamenon Falls, the sweeping overlooks in the Porcupine Mountains or the hardwoods glowing around Ocqueoc Falls, the largest waterfall in the Lower Peninsula, there’s no shortage of views.
Classic routes, like the Tunnel of Trees along M-119, promise 22 miles of postcard-ready scenery. In West Michigan, the fall colors near Holland State Park and the Lake Macatawa shoreline will peak in October.
NRC Commits to Reopening Year-Round Coyote Season
By Justin Tomei
Michigan United Conservation Clubs
The state Natural Resources Commission has unanimously voted to reinstate Michigan’s year-round coyote hunting season ahead of the April 2026 closing of the season. This decision represents a win for Michigan’s hunters, and more importantly, sound scientific management.
The commission on Aug. 14 approved a resolution that stated: “The Michigan Natural Resources Commission is committed to enacting a regulation for Michigan citizens to take coyotes year-round on public and private land through a combination of hunting, trapping, and lethal take of nuisance and damaging animals; and that the Michigan Natural Resources Commission is committed to acting on this matter before next regular furbearer regulation cycle in the Wildlife Conservation Order in 2026.”
The vote comes after a year of work by Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC) and Michigan Trappers and Predator Callers Association (MTPCA), who filed a lawsuit when the commission closed part of the season in March of 2024, an action the groups said was illegal.
The NRC vote constitutes a win for scientific management and Proposal G, but the responsibility to hold the commission to their word is now on all conservationists according to MUCC chief executive officer Amy Trotter.
“We all obviously would have preferred a resolution to the issue today,” Trotter said. “The commission has made clear to the conservationists of Michigan that they will fix the 2024 commission’s error, and the responsibility now rests with all of us to hold them to their word.”
According to MTPCA President Joe Velchansky, this is a win, but not the final one.
“We are closer to righting this wrong today than we were yesterday,” Velchansky said. “We will continue to work with the commission to ensure the commission makes the best decision for the resource, scientific management, and our outdoor heritage.”
In February and March of 2024, the NRC, at the request of a small minority of stakeholder groups, approved an order to partially close Michigan’s coyote hunting season from April 15-July 15.
The justification for the order was not biological data, or management need. Rather the commission followed emotional pleas and social perceptions, without any objective data backing up the claims, and illegally partially closed coyote season for a quarter of the year.
Despite a DNR biologist's statement that the closure was put forward based on perceived social pressures, and countless pages of scientific literature being presented justifying a year-round hunting season, the season was closed.
After the meeting, MUCC and MTPCA jumped into action on behalf of sound scientific management and Michigan’s hunters, anglers and trappers.
A lawsuit was filed to appeal the decision and after months of trading paperwork, the final briefs were filed in November of 2024.
In June of this year, a Lansing Circuit Court Judge ruled that the commission followed their charge in their decision making.
Since the March 2024 vote, there has been significant turnover on the commission with four new members currently seated.
Commissioner John Walters, who voted no on the closure in 2024, requested the amendment to reopen the season at the February 2025 meeting, and the order was up for information in March and delayed due to commissioner absences and bureaucratic hurdles before the Aug. 14 vote.
Year-round coyote hunting had been in place since the NRC adopted the measure in 2016, when Michigan joined at least 35 other states in allowing for year-round opportunity.
To learn more about MUCC visit MUCC.org. To learn more about MTPCA visit MTPCA.com.
Michigan United Conservation Clubs
The state Natural Resources Commission has unanimously voted to reinstate Michigan’s year-round coyote hunting season ahead of the April 2026 closing of the season. This decision represents a win for Michigan’s hunters, and more importantly, sound scientific management.
The commission on Aug. 14 approved a resolution that stated: “The Michigan Natural Resources Commission is committed to enacting a regulation for Michigan citizens to take coyotes year-round on public and private land through a combination of hunting, trapping, and lethal take of nuisance and damaging animals; and that the Michigan Natural Resources Commission is committed to acting on this matter before next regular furbearer regulation cycle in the Wildlife Conservation Order in 2026.”
The vote comes after a year of work by Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC) and Michigan Trappers and Predator Callers Association (MTPCA), who filed a lawsuit when the commission closed part of the season in March of 2024, an action the groups said was illegal.
The NRC vote constitutes a win for scientific management and Proposal G, but the responsibility to hold the commission to their word is now on all conservationists according to MUCC chief executive officer Amy Trotter.
“We all obviously would have preferred a resolution to the issue today,” Trotter said. “The commission has made clear to the conservationists of Michigan that they will fix the 2024 commission’s error, and the responsibility now rests with all of us to hold them to their word.”
According to MTPCA President Joe Velchansky, this is a win, but not the final one.
“We are closer to righting this wrong today than we were yesterday,” Velchansky said. “We will continue to work with the commission to ensure the commission makes the best decision for the resource, scientific management, and our outdoor heritage.”
In February and March of 2024, the NRC, at the request of a small minority of stakeholder groups, approved an order to partially close Michigan’s coyote hunting season from April 15-July 15.
The justification for the order was not biological data, or management need. Rather the commission followed emotional pleas and social perceptions, without any objective data backing up the claims, and illegally partially closed coyote season for a quarter of the year.
Despite a DNR biologist's statement that the closure was put forward based on perceived social pressures, and countless pages of scientific literature being presented justifying a year-round hunting season, the season was closed.
After the meeting, MUCC and MTPCA jumped into action on behalf of sound scientific management and Michigan’s hunters, anglers and trappers.
A lawsuit was filed to appeal the decision and after months of trading paperwork, the final briefs were filed in November of 2024.
In June of this year, a Lansing Circuit Court Judge ruled that the commission followed their charge in their decision making.
Since the March 2024 vote, there has been significant turnover on the commission with four new members currently seated.
Commissioner John Walters, who voted no on the closure in 2024, requested the amendment to reopen the season at the February 2025 meeting, and the order was up for information in March and delayed due to commissioner absences and bureaucratic hurdles before the Aug. 14 vote.
Year-round coyote hunting had been in place since the NRC adopted the measure in 2016, when Michigan joined at least 35 other states in allowing for year-round opportunity.
To learn more about MUCC visit MUCC.org. To learn more about MTPCA visit MTPCA.com.
Outdoor Truths
By Gary Miller
As many of you know, I spent the first 29 years of my life in Kentucky. Since I lived only about three hours or less from Lexington and Louisville, my culture was around thoroughbreds, basketball, and bourbon – with a mixture of tobacco fields.
Even though my experiences were limited to basketball, these other influences were always in the background. With that said, let me pass on a story I heard.
At the celebration of the Buffalo Trace Distillery’s six-millionth barrel, Julian Van Winkle Jr. handed a legendary tour guide, Freddie Johnson, a bottle of 20-year-old Pappy’s – an expensive and rare gift.
He was to use it to celebrate with his dad and brother.
That night they opened it, and when Freddie tried to save some for a future time, his dad stopped him. He told his son there would always be more old bourbon, but not more of them. He said, “We are the fragile part of this whole thing.”
So, that night they sat, talked, laughed and finished the bottle. Nine months later, both his father and his brother were gone - leaving Freddie with the line that’s now famous: “It’s not about the whiskey. It’s about the lives you touch and the people you meet.”
Why do I tell you this? Deer season is upon us. For years, I have witnessed landowner after landowner, and many selfish hunters, try to protect their deer at the expense of a youth, new, or even old hunter. They have deemed the most fragile part of this process to be the animals and not the lives of those they could forever impact. And there is no doubt there will be some hunter who will not be with us next year.
Remember my friends, it’s not about the deer. It’s about the lives you touch and the people you meet. Adjust accordingly.
—————
Gary Miller has written Outdoor Truths articles for 22 years. He has also written five books which include compilations of his articles and a father/son devotional. He also speaks at wild-game dinners and men’s events for churches and associations. Write to him at gary@outdoor truths.org
As many of you know, I spent the first 29 years of my life in Kentucky. Since I lived only about three hours or less from Lexington and Louisville, my culture was around thoroughbreds, basketball, and bourbon – with a mixture of tobacco fields.
Even though my experiences were limited to basketball, these other influences were always in the background. With that said, let me pass on a story I heard.
At the celebration of the Buffalo Trace Distillery’s six-millionth barrel, Julian Van Winkle Jr. handed a legendary tour guide, Freddie Johnson, a bottle of 20-year-old Pappy’s – an expensive and rare gift.
He was to use it to celebrate with his dad and brother.
That night they opened it, and when Freddie tried to save some for a future time, his dad stopped him. He told his son there would always be more old bourbon, but not more of them. He said, “We are the fragile part of this whole thing.”
So, that night they sat, talked, laughed and finished the bottle. Nine months later, both his father and his brother were gone - leaving Freddie with the line that’s now famous: “It’s not about the whiskey. It’s about the lives you touch and the people you meet.”
Why do I tell you this? Deer season is upon us. For years, I have witnessed landowner after landowner, and many selfish hunters, try to protect their deer at the expense of a youth, new, or even old hunter. They have deemed the most fragile part of this process to be the animals and not the lives of those they could forever impact. And there is no doubt there will be some hunter who will not be with us next year.
Remember my friends, it’s not about the deer. It’s about the lives you touch and the people you meet. Adjust accordingly.
—————
Gary Miller has written Outdoor Truths articles for 22 years. He has also written five books which include compilations of his articles and a father/son devotional. He also speaks at wild-game dinners and men’s events for churches and associations. Write to him at gary@outdoor truths.org
Michigan Natural Shoreline Partnership to Host Conference
Healthy lake ecosystems depend on shorelines rich with native plants, shrubs, and trees. Natural shorelines play a crucial role in filtering runoff, preventing erosion, and provide vital habitat for fish, birds, amphibians, and other wildlife.
These topics will be discussed at the Michigan Natural Shoreline and Shallows Conference, taking place on Friday, Oct. 17 at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center in East Lansing. The theme for this year’s conference is “Restoring Resiliency to Shorelines.”
Professionals, researchers, lake contractors, lakefront property owners, local government and state agency staff are invited to attend. This conference is a valuable opportunity to learn from experts, share ideas, and explore innovative approaches to shoreline restoration and management.
Specifically, the conference will feature presentations focused on protecting and restoring Michigan’s inland lake shorelines, including:
• Shoreline characteristics that support resilient fisheries
• Rebuilding shorelines using native plants
• Resilient plant communities of the Great Lakes
• Creating a community of shoreline stewards
• Protecting reptiles and amphibians through shoreline design
Speakers will include faculty and staff from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR), Michigan State University (MSU), Central Michigan University, Ferris State University, and the Lake Leelanau Lake Association.
Participants will also have an opportunity to network with each other and exhibitors, including staff from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, MSU Extension Center for Lakes and Streams, MSU Institute of Water Research, Michigan Lakes and Streams Association, and MDNR.
Registration is open through Oct. 8. The registration fee is $80. A student discount is available for $30. Refreshments and lunch are included for registered participants. Walk-ins are welcome (cash or card accepted), but lunch is not guaranteed.
For a complete agenda visit the Michigan Natural Shoreline Partnership Shoreline and Shallows Conference webpage at shorelinepartnership.org/shoreline--shallows-conference.html.
The Michigan Natural Shoreline Partnership is a collaboration of state agencies, academia, nonprofit organizations and private industry and was formed in 2008 with a mission to protect Michigan inland lakes through the conservation and restoration of natural shorelines. Visit the Partnership website to learn more at shorelinepartnership.org.
These topics will be discussed at the Michigan Natural Shoreline and Shallows Conference, taking place on Friday, Oct. 17 at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center in East Lansing. The theme for this year’s conference is “Restoring Resiliency to Shorelines.”
Professionals, researchers, lake contractors, lakefront property owners, local government and state agency staff are invited to attend. This conference is a valuable opportunity to learn from experts, share ideas, and explore innovative approaches to shoreline restoration and management.
Specifically, the conference will feature presentations focused on protecting and restoring Michigan’s inland lake shorelines, including:
• Shoreline characteristics that support resilient fisheries
• Rebuilding shorelines using native plants
• Resilient plant communities of the Great Lakes
• Creating a community of shoreline stewards
• Protecting reptiles and amphibians through shoreline design
Speakers will include faculty and staff from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR), Michigan State University (MSU), Central Michigan University, Ferris State University, and the Lake Leelanau Lake Association.
Participants will also have an opportunity to network with each other and exhibitors, including staff from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, MSU Extension Center for Lakes and Streams, MSU Institute of Water Research, Michigan Lakes and Streams Association, and MDNR.
Registration is open through Oct. 8. The registration fee is $80. A student discount is available for $30. Refreshments and lunch are included for registered participants. Walk-ins are welcome (cash or card accepted), but lunch is not guaranteed.
For a complete agenda visit the Michigan Natural Shoreline Partnership Shoreline and Shallows Conference webpage at shorelinepartnership.org/shoreline--shallows-conference.html.
The Michigan Natural Shoreline Partnership is a collaboration of state agencies, academia, nonprofit organizations and private industry and was formed in 2008 with a mission to protect Michigan inland lakes through the conservation and restoration of natural shorelines. Visit the Partnership website to learn more at shorelinepartnership.org.
DNR Confirms First EHD Cases from Deer in Southern Michigan
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is reporting Michigan’s first detected cases of epizootic hemorrhagic disease in 2025.
The DNR Wildlife Health Section, Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study confirmed the EHD virus in free-ranging white-tailed deer from Eaton, Jackson, Van Buren and Washtenaw counties. As samples are submitted from additional counties, any further detections will be posted on the DNR's EHD webpage.
EHD is a viral, sometimes fatal disease that periodically affects white-tailed deer in Michigan. It is transmitted through the bite of an infected midge, or biting fly. Deer cannot transmit the disease directly to one another; the virus must pass through the insect.
There is no evidence that humans, household pets or other Michigan wildlife can contract the EHD virus. Venison harvested in areas affected by EHD is safe for consumption. It’s not recommended to consume any animals that are visibly sick, but healthy deer harvested from areas where EHD has been present are still safe to eat.
“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 affects deer in late summer and early fall. Outbreaks can be more severe in years when there is a wet spring followed by a hot, dry summer, but the first frost kills the midge population and stops disease transmission.
—————
Report sick or dead deer online
If you suspect you have found a deer that has contracted or died from EHD, please submit a Diseased Wildlife report through the DNR’s Eyes in the Field online system.
Sick and dead deer are often found in or around bodies of water. Due to a high fever and dehydration, deer infected with EHD often seek 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 continued reporting of suspected cases online to track the full extent of an outbreak.
—————
Minimal impact on deer populations expected
Although EHD outbreaks have not been shown to have a significant long-term effect on deer populations in Michigan, deer mortality can be intense in small geographic areas and local impact may persist for a few years.
Rudolph noted that 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,” he said.
The DNR Wildlife Health Section, Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study confirmed the EHD virus in free-ranging white-tailed deer from Eaton, Jackson, Van Buren and Washtenaw counties. As samples are submitted from additional counties, any further detections will be posted on the DNR's EHD webpage.
EHD is a viral, sometimes fatal disease that periodically affects white-tailed deer in Michigan. It is transmitted through the bite of an infected midge, or biting fly. Deer cannot transmit the disease directly to one another; the virus must pass through the insect.
There is no evidence that humans, household pets or other Michigan wildlife can contract the EHD virus. Venison harvested in areas affected by EHD is safe for consumption. It’s not recommended to consume any animals that are visibly sick, but healthy deer harvested from areas where EHD has been present are still safe to eat.
“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 affects deer in late summer and early fall. Outbreaks can be more severe in years when there is a wet spring followed by a hot, dry summer, but the first frost kills the midge population and stops disease transmission.
—————
Report sick or dead deer online
If you suspect you have found a deer that has contracted or died from EHD, please submit a Diseased Wildlife report through the DNR’s Eyes in the Field online system.
Sick and dead deer are often found in or around bodies of water. Due to a high fever and dehydration, deer infected with EHD often seek 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 continued reporting of suspected cases online to track the full extent of an outbreak.
—————
Minimal impact on deer populations expected
Although EHD outbreaks have not been shown to have a significant long-term effect on deer populations in Michigan, deer mortality can be intense in small geographic areas and local impact may persist for a few years.
Rudolph noted that 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,” he said.
