Deer Hunting Season Opens This Week–Viral Deer Disease Hot Topic

In Michigan, Fall really begins with the start of firearm deer season! Up north, it's a state holiday. Kids have school off on the first day of deer season. So many would skip it, the schools thought "why fight it?" This year, deer season has a different feeling.

A viral deer disease has killed thousands of deer in the Lower Peninsula, and thus hunters will not be able to kill as many deer this year. Tjhe DNR is also setting up workshops to inform the public of the disease.

Garret Ellison in the Press writes in "State wildlife officials to appear at Greenville, Ionia Meijer stores to discuss viral deer disease"

"On Friday, the state Department of Natural Resources announced that hunters would not be allowed to kill as many does this year due to the viral epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD), which has killed at least 13,200 deer statewide this year. EHD is caused by a virus that is transmitted by a type of biting fly called a midge. Due to a high fever, infected deer often are found sick or dead along or in bodies of water. More than 2,300 dead deer have been reported in Ionia County, and more than 1,800 have died in Kent County. Other hard-hit counties include Barry, Branch, Calhoun, Clinton, Hillsdale, Jackson, Montcalm and St. Joseph."

Be careful out there, and check out the Michigan.gov website for more deer details