EHD Outbreak Prompts Ohio Wildlife Council to Propose Deer Bag Limit Reductions
SALEM, Ohio — The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) and the Ohio Wildlife Council are considering tighter harvest restrictions on white-tailed deer in response to the ongoing Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) outbreak affecting southeast Ohio.
EHD is a viral disease transmitted by biting midges (Culicoides spp.) that triggers severe vascular damage in deer, leading to internal bleeding and often death. This disease is particularly impactful during warm, dry conditions that favor the midges’ breeding cycle, exacerbating outbreaks.
During the Council’s October 22 meeting, a proposal was introduced to reduce deer bag limits in four southeastern Ohio counties:
- Athens, Meigs, and Washington Counties: from two deer down to one
- Morgan County: from three deer reduced to two
This would be the second instance this year that ODNR has imposed stricter bag limits in these areas due to EHD. In September, the agency reported 7,486 confirmed dead or sick deer statewide, primarily from Athens, Meigs, Morgan, and Washington counties.
By October 14, these numbers had escalated to 9,082 total EHD-affected deer, including:
- 1,719 in Athens County
- 1,487 in Meigs County
- 854 in Morgan County
- 1,901 in Washington County
The proposed changes would become effective December 1, coinciding with the seven-day deer gun season, and last through the end of the 2025-26 hunting season on February 1. Until November 30, existing bag limits will remain in place.
The remainder of Ohio will maintain current deer bag limits, unaffected by this proposal.
Expert Perspective on Disease Management and Deer Conservation
Reducing harvest quotas in the face of EHD outbreaks is a critical management response aiming to mitigate additional pressure on vulnerable deer populations. High mortality rates, particularly in localized areas, can cause sudden population declines, disrupting herd dynamics and affecting long-term ecosystem balance.
White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) play essential roles as herbivores and prey species, and disease outbreaks like EHD underscore the importance of adaptive wildlife management strategies. Bag limit reductions help conserve surviving deer, allowing for recovery once disease pressure subsides.
Monitoring and recording cases of sick or dead deer also provides valuable data for wildlife health assessment and informs future responses. Because EHD outbreaks correlate strongly with environmental conditions favoring midge abundance, wildlife managers must remain vigilant during seasons prone to such fluctuations.
Hunters contribute significant data through voluntary reporting, a vital tool for tracking disease progression.
For more information regarding bag limit changes and EHD monitoring, visit this ODNR resource.
Additional reporting and sources from: EHD outbreak forces ODNR to consider further deer bag limits – Farm and Dairy
