Blue Tongue Disease

I'm starting to hear more and more about this. Due to the high fever that the deer will have they are often found dead near water. Has anyone seen or heard about this lately.

Went striper fishing at Lake Cumberland this past weekend and all of the guides were talking about it. Some had found deer dead on the properties they hunt. Frankly, there is a good article on the KDFWR site regarding the issue and is a good read. I felt better after reading it, there are many rumors of closing seasons, etc. floating around and they simply aren't true. Sounds like all we need is the first frost!

Here is the article that spindoc was referring to. Again, after the first frost, it will be a thing of the past.

http://fw.ky.gov/newsrelease.asp?nid...05C122C581C644

Good read, thanks.

We've seen a few dead deer near water from this disease. Also a few of the live deer were very thin and sickly looking.

Originally Posted by Watusi

We've seen a few dead deer near water from this disease. Also a few of the live deer were very thin and sickly looking.

So, if you happen to see these sickly looking deer in the woods, are you supposed to go ahead and shoot them, or let them go? I guess what I'm asking is can you get in trouble for putting a sick animal out of it's misery? Do you have to report it if you kill a sick deer with no intention of taking it home?

Originally Posted by CJTank74

So, if you happen to see these sickly looking deer in the woods, are you supposed to go ahead and shoot them, or let them go? I guess what I'm asking is can you get in trouble for putting a sick animal out of it's misery? Do you have to report it if you kill a sick deer with no intention of taking it home?

You would have to use a tag if you kill one, otherwise it is poaching and yes, you would get into trouble if caught. So you have a moral dilemna on your hands if you see one in the wild. As hard as it is to do, you just have to let them go and let nature take its course, or you will quickly waste your deer tags with nothing to show for it.

I will be extremely selective before I decide to shoot a deer.

On a positive note, I saw two bucks yesterday, a 4 point and a 6 that looked to be very healthy. They were alert and normal looking. Unfortunately, I was just 4 wheeling and only had a 22 pistol with snake shot in it with me and not a bow.

According to the KDFWR, the first frost will kill the biting insects that spread the disease, so hopefully we will see an end to it soon.

Originally Posted by Watusi

According to the KDFWR, the first frost will kill the biting insects that spread the disease, so hopefully we will see an end to it soon.

And today it was 92 as I hung another ladder stand, frost seems to be the farthest thing from Mother Nature's mind.

I just talk with my brother who lives in Pendelton Co. and he heard that the Gamewarden's found 15 deer this weekend on a road in Pendelton with blue tongue.

We have many dead in Bracken County also. Son shot 2 during youth hunt both seen to be fine.

There have actually been some confirmed cases reported in cattle in counties along the Ohio River in the past 2 months. Thought to be more prevalent due to drought conditions.

I have heard a lot about this ,I wounder how many deer are we goin to lose to this blue tongue in the state has there been a predictions?