Dozens of deer dying in Porter County (2024)

Dozens of deer have been dying in Porter County, turning up dead in rivers, streams and ponds.

At least 65 have been found dead in Porter County as a result of an early outbreak ofepizootic hemorrhagic disease, according to theIndiana Department of Natural Resources.

The disease is spread by biting midges that breed in shallow pools of water. The bugs, also known as sand gnats or no-see-ums, bite deer and infect them with the deadly disease when they come to get a drink, deer biologist Joe Caudell said.

Epizootic hemorrhagic disease affects white tail deer but is not transmissible to humans, Caudell said. Hunters can still safely harvest and consume deer, he said.

Deer die of the disease every year, but it's normally more rare. Lake and LaPorte counties have only had one case each so far this year.

"It's not uniform across the county," Caudell said. "Many people may see no dead deer but a hunter might see 10 dead deer in one area. It tends to be very localized to an area."

A suspected outbreak has been reported inWabash, Allen, Pike, Warrick, Miami, Huntington and Porter counties while cases have been reported in 22 other counties. Cases have been confirmed inWabash, Allen, Huntington, Wells, Porter and Perry counties.

"It just happens from time to time, normally every five years," he said. "There may be a larger outbreak because the deer population is larger. Weather conditions factor in. It's been hot and dry in Northern Indiana. Those types of conditions can cause at outbreak to occur."

When it's hot and dry out, more water sources dry up so more deer flock to the same ponds to drink, making them more susceptible to get infected by the biting midge bites.

Infected deer may display behaviors like lethargy, excessive salivation and disorientation. It causes fever, which makes deer thirsty, which is why they often die near ponds and rivers. Deer can recover from the disease and typically show telltale signs of sloughing or breaking on their hooves.

The severity of the outbreak depends on a number of factors, including weather and immunity. It's been at least 5 to 10 years since there was a major outbreak in Northwest Indiana, Caudell said. The DNR may lower the hunting quota if it has a big enough impact on the deer population in Porter County.

"It's a natural event in the deer population," he said. "There's nothing anyone can do. It's a natural disease that happens. We will monitor the impact on the population. If there's a significant impact, we will lower the harvest. But there's nothing we can do while it's going on."

The outbreak will end with the first frost, which will kill all the biting midges.