Hunters Should Not be Concerned with Eating Venison

COLUMBIA, SC - Hunters should not be concerned with eating venison deer that is found, according to Charles Ruth, Deer/Turkey Project supervisor for DNR.  Although there are a number of diseases that can cause sickness and death in deer, the most likely cause during the late summer and fall is HD. The disease is caused by certain viruses that are transmitted by biting midges or gnats, commonly called no-see-ums. The seasonality of the disease is related to the life cycle of these insect vectors since they thrive during the warmer months in the Southeast.