Deer are dying from a midge-borne virus confirmed in Oakland County, and residents near water or local trails may find carcasses in the weeks ahead.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has attributed deer deaths in Oakland County to epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD), a virus spread by tiny biting flies called midges. Oakland is one of eight Michigan counties where EHD has killed deer in 2026, Bridge Michigan reported Sept. 23.

EHD cannot infect people or pets.

The virus also does not pass from deer to deer, and dead carcasses are not a significant source of infection because the virus does not survive long after the host dies, according to the DNR's wildlife disease page.

EHD makes deer feverish and dehydrated. Infected animals lose their appetite and fear of humans, grow weak and disoriented, and develop high fevers that drive them toward water. Deer are often found dead in or near ponds, rivers and streams.

The DNR has received about 1,200 EHD reports statewide in 2026. Brent Rudolph, a DNR deer specialist, said in a Sept. 9 press release that activity is at levels similar to 2025, as ClickOnDetroit reported. Oakland County has had confirmed EHD die-offs before, in 2008 and 2021, according to DNR records.

Die-offs typically peak in late summer and early fall and end within two weeks of the first hard frost, which kills the midges.

The timing overlaps with a broader conversation about deer in Bloomfield Township. Township officials said in their spring 2026 newsletter that an advisory committee is researching the local deer population. The township launched a separate resident feedback effort in July, asking for reports on deer-vehicle collisions, property damage and aggressive deer.

Hunters heading into fall season should avoid consuming visibly sick animals, though the DNR says healthy deer from EHD-affected areas remain safe to eat. State law bans feeding or baiting deer in the Lower Peninsula.

What residents can do: