A disease is killing hundreds of deer across mid-Michigan.
We had reports that about a dozen deer were dead in Branch and Ionia County from EHD. 6 News later learned those numbers rose to more than a hundred just a few days later. Now, we're hearing reports that number is just under 500 and is making its way into Clinton County.
"When I found the third one, I realized something was wrong," said Jeff Pung.
Last week, Jeff Pung of Ionia County counted six dead deer on his some 28 acres.
"Everybody's sick around here about it," he said.
John Carter who lives a mile up the road, is at 27 as of Wednesday. And the numbers keep coming in.
"It's very dishearting. It's very depressing to go into your woods and find all these dead deer," said Carter.
It's something that's been in Michigan for years, but this year the small biting flies that carry the disease came out a month earlier from such a hot summer. And the impact now could be much bigger.
"This year could be one of the highest that we've had," said Tom Cooly, a DNR-Wildlife Biologist.
The biggest case the DNR had in a single county was a few years ago in Livingston County around 450. Ionia is already at nearly 400 and in isolated areas where the counts are high, fear lingers come hunting season.
"It could impact the population there for a one or two year period, but the deer will end up bouncing back. Your population will come back," said Cooly.
"It's an enjoyment. It's a livelihood for a lot of people and if it's not there, it's very difficult," said Mark Esch with Clinton/QDMA.
The Clinton/Ionia County Quality Deer Management Association donates 3,000 pounds of venison every year to feed those in need and this year that could be in jeopardy.
"When you take that many deer out of the general population where we get the doe or the deer from it could be devesating."
There are no known reports of people or pets getting the disease.
It has been around since 1955 in Michigan, occuring every year since 2006.
