COLUMBUS, Ohio (Aug. 19, 2025) – The Ohio Division of Wildlife is asking residents to report sightings of sick or dead deer as officials monitor for potential outbreaks of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD), one of the most common diseases affecting white-tailed deer in the United States.
EHD is caused by the bite of an infected midge, a tiny fly that thrives in late summer. The disease does not affect humans and typically subsides with the season’s first frost, when the insect dies off.
Symptoms of EHD generally appear about a week after exposure and may include disorientation, unusual tameness, respiratory distress, and visible swelling of the head, neck, tongue, or eyelids. Infected deer often run high fevers and are frequently found near water sources as they try to cool down.
Wildlife officials stress that public reports are critical for tracking the spread of the disease. Residents who spot a deer behaving abnormally or find one that has died are encouraged to report their observations online at: Ohio Division of Wildlife’s EHD Reporting Portal.
