The Michigan Department of Natural Resources released a map showing township-level locations of epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD), a viral infection spread by biting midges, in deer. The map will be updated approximately weekly during the current outbreak.
EHD typically occurs in late summer and early fall. Infected deer either recover or die within a few days. Outbreaks generally end when frost kills the midges that spread the disease.
The DNR created the map in response to hunter concerns. "We have heard from hunters who are concerned about deer losses in their hunting areas and want more information about where EHD is occurring," said Brent Rudolph, deer, elk, and moose management specialist for the DNR Wildlife Division.
So far in 2026, EHD has been confirmed through laboratory testing in 15 Michigan counties: Allegan, Branch, Clinton, Calhoun, Hillsdale, Ingham, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Lapeer, Lenawee, Montcalm, Oakland, Oceana, Saginaw, and Washtenaw. The DNR confirmed 16 counties with EHD in 2025 and 15 in 2024.
The map shows reported EHD activity at the township level. However, laboratory confirmation is not possible for every reported case; the DNR must collect a deer carcass within 16 hours of death to confirm the disease. Consequently, the map should be viewed as an indication of reported activity rather than a complete assessment of where the disease is and is not occurring.