Q.CWD & Disease Safety
What is EHD and is the meat safe to eat?
A.
EHD (Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease) is a viral disease of deer transmitted by midges. Outbreaks happen in late summer and early fall and can kill large numbers of deer in localized areas. EHD does not infect humans — meat from a deer that recovered from EHD is safe to eat, though hunters typically avoid harvesting visibly sick deer.
EHD-killed deer are usually found near water (sick deer seek water as a fever response). Carcasses in or near water during August-October are often EHD victims. The disease usually subsides after first frost kills the midge vector.
Unlike CWD, EHD is a viral disease with no human transmission risk. Recovered deer carry no ongoing risk. See state disease risk pages for current outbreak conditions.