With this disease of EHD of the deer. Has anybody gotten sick by eating the meat of the deer?

[rfleer87]

With this disease of EHD of the deer. Has anybody gotten sick by eating the meat of the deer?

[Kansashuntandfish]

People can not get sick from EHD but just in case it might have something else wrong with it make sure you cook it good.

[Gary Devine]

Once a deer gets the disease they die within three days. You always find them in a water source. Most hunters don't get a chance to kill a disease animal.

[Drover1]

EHD is not a food-safety hazard to humans.

[scratchgolf72]

EHD makes quick work of deer, and they will contract this during the warm summer months. for the most part you arent going to see any deer walking around with EHD during the season.

[rfleer87]

OK but i have heard that people are getting sick by eating their deer this season. What is the cause then?

[FirstBubba]

Probably an "anti-hunter" ploy! Remember the "lead tainted" meat scam of a few years back.

[Ontario Honker Hunter]

By the time the regular season opens in most places first frost has hit and bugs that carry the disease are down. Most hunters don't have the opportunity to kill a deer with EHD.

[Bioguy01]

rfleer87 - Deer with EHD are safe to eat. The disease doesn't affect humans and it is passed to deer by biting midges (commonly called no-see-ums). These midges breed in sand and mud flats. During drought years, breeding conditions are ideal for these midges and also deer will seek water at the midge breeding grounds because they are often the last strongholds for water. In other words, drought years create the perfect storm for EHD to be a problem.

Several folks here described the acute form of EHD which will kill a deer within days. However, deer will actually survive the chronic form of the disease. Deer with the chronic form will often have sloughed hooves. There's a lot of information on the QDMA website about EHD, so check it out if you want to know more.