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    Reports from several southeastern Montana locations have confirmed that epizootic hemorrhagic disease  (EHD) has surfaced in the resident white-tailed deer populations. Reports from Glendive, Savage, Sidney, Brockway, Angela, Circle, and Rock Springs suggest EHD has surfaced in the local white-tail populations.
    This is an infectious viral disease of white-tailed deer and outbreaks can occur annually. EHD and the bluetongue virus are basically indistinguishable. Biting flies transmit both diseases and the disease is seasonal and usually occurs late summer or early fall. A hard freeze can kill the insects and stop the spread of the disease.
    Usually EHD infects the deer and incubates for 7 – 10 days and once the virus matures it results in death within 24 hours. Normally infected deer gravitate to water.
    Mule deer, antelope, big horn sheep have shown occurrence of the disease in the past. Current reports show white-tailed deer as the target species to date. No extensive die-offs have been reported in southeastern Montana.
    Humans are not at risk by handling infected deer, eating venison from infected deer or being bitten by infected flies.
    Information is limited concerning affects of EHD in domestic livestock. The virus has been isolated from sick cattle and surveys have shown that cattle often have antibodies to this virus, indicating frequent exposure.
    Overall the EHD occurrence in southeastern Montana has apparently not yet infected many white-tailed deer but a hard freeze is required to curtail the spread of the disease.