Suspected Hemorrhagic Disease Kills 24 Deer on Flathead Reservation in 1 Week

3 articles · Updated · vp-mi.com · Sep 2

A couple dozen white-tailed deer deaths were reported in the past week on the Flathead Indian Reservation, with tribal wildlife managers suspecting epizootic hemorrhagic disease in cases near Hot Springs, Valley View and Mission Valley.
Nine reports came in during a single weekend, and officials said symptoms in multiple deer matched hemorrhagic disease — lethargy, foaming at the mouth, and swollen or blue tongues — though lab confirmation is still pending.
Small flies that emerge near water in late summer and early fall spread the virus; shrinking water sources can concentrate deer and raise exposure, and officials said there is no practical way to prevent or mitigate an outbreak.
The disease poses no threat to humans or pets, but hunters were told to avoid sick animals, cook meat from healthy-looking animals thoroughly, and still test harvested deer for chronic wasting disease.
Outbreaks often fade after the first winter frost, though they can linger locally for 2 to 3 years; the same Hot Springs and Mission Valley areas were active last year, when Montana also logged roughly two dozen dead deer near Eureka and a dozen near Plains.