Hunters traveling to Crawford county should be aware of a disease outbreak affecting dear.
The Pennsylvania game commission discovered 30 to 40 deer with Hemorrhagic disease (HD) in Crawford County. The outbreak is transmitted via midge bites which typically occur in late fall.
HD can be deadly to elk and deer but there have been mass casualty events with white tail deer discovered in recent years. Although, the game has been tracking HD for years and populations impacted often recover quickly if identified quickly.
Humans and pets are not in danger when it comes to HD but the Game Commission urges the public to remain at a safe distance when observing wildlife and to not handle wildlife unless they are hunting, trapping, or otherwise authorized to do so.