Iowa is experiencing the third worst outbreak of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD), behind only the outbreaks in 2012 and 2019 in severity. The disease appears to have hit southeastern Iowa the hardest, but has been reported in 74 counties, which is the highest number of counties to report the disease in one year.

  “Most of the highest-impacted counties have deer populations that exceed our management goals. Historically, Iowa deer herds impacted by EHD outbreaks have bounced back fairly quickly, typically recovering to prior levels within two or three years. Unless we detect a sustained decline in deer numbers, we don’t anticipate any changes to our management strategy resulting from this EHD outbreak,” Jace Elliott, state deer biologist from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources said.

  What’s unique for the current outbreak is that it occurred later in the year due to the prolonged warm weather allowed midges to keep spreading. A killing frost will end the outbreak by eliminating the midges that cause the disease.

  “The vast majority of what we know about annual EHD outbreaks come from the public. Hunters and landowners who suspect EHD is on their property are encouraged to contact the DNR to improve our disease monitoring efforts,” Elliott said.

  For more information about deer hunting or any of the great outdoor opportunities in Iowa, visit them at www.iowadnr.gov.

Ever try to spot a ghost in a snowstorm?
Well, I have….

I have been hunting snowshoe hares
In snow-covered evergreen thickets for half a century.

I started in Catskill mountain thickets of
Laurel, hemlock and spruce.

And progressed to the swamp thickets
Of Rensselaer County and the Adirondacks.

I pursued the hares with dogs, and
I often ran them “by hand”.

In either case, the hares
Proved quite difficult to bag.

Hunting “white on white” most often
Was a “now you see ‘em…now you don’t” affair.

Nevertheless, I developed a strong liking
For the cold weather sport of hare hunting.

I trained my black Lab, Pepper,
To be a first rate hare hunter.

Together, and with friends and family,
We bagged many hares over her lifetime.

Pepper is long gone, and
I now must hunt them alone.

Or take turns with my hunting pards
Playing dog…tracking hares by sight and tracks.

Our success rate is only fair, but
We have great fun every time out.

For better luck, we occasionally hunt
With Jamie Frasier and his Adirondack hounds.

We turn our bagged hares into excellent stew,
Allowing us to relive exciting hunts around the dinner table.

Our annual “Rabbit Stew Night” allows us
To hunt the Dingman Dodger again and again.

Our hare hunting has evolved into a Gentleman’s game:
We start late …and quit early.

And, if we bag a hare now and then…
We are happy, indeed!

Another great story from Lloyd’s book Rambling Outdoors: Tales of Forest, Field and Stream. Used with permission. Thanks Lloyd!