[tnrebelguitarist]

The Blue Tongue Disease (EHD) is a naturally occuring disease in nature. I live in TN and we have had bad problems with it this year. TWRA is claiming that we have had a loss of 20-45% in some counties. The main problem with it this year is that there has been hardly any rain ( at least in the South).

The disease normall kills a few deer each year in the months of July and August. Being that it's the hottest time of the year and normally rainfall is a little lacking in most areas.However, with the absence of almost any rainfall this year, many herds of deer have been grouped around the small ( often stagnant) water sources that they can find. The disease comes from no-see-ems and sometimes from drinking water. With several deer collecting in one area the the insects will do the same. This means more bites (more of the disease keeps being injected in the animal) and also, since the water is being shared and is just setting, it too can transmit the disease.

TWRA said that the deer are safe to eat but as my dad said ( he works for a division of TWRA) would you eat a disease cow?