Maryland Experiencing Hemorrhagic Disease Outbreak in White-tailed Deer [View all]
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Maryland Experiencing Hemorrhagic Disease Outbreak in White-tailed Deer
September 10, 2025

A buck standing in a clearing near a tree
Photo by Steve Edwards, submitted to the 2018 Maryland DNR Photo Contest.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) advises hunters that Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) has been confirmed in Maryland and is the likely cause of death for white-tailed deer reported in numerous counties across the state.
This year, confirmed or suspected cases of EHD have been documented in counties in central and southern Maryland. The largest outbreak in the state appears to be in Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Howard, Montgomery, and Prince Georges counties. The disease has also been reported in the neighboring states of Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.
EHD is a naturally occurring disease that affects white-tailed deer and, rarely, domestic livestock. It is common throughout the eastern United States and outbreaks occur in Maryland annually at differing degrees.
While EHD is often fatal to deer,
the disease poses no threat to humans.
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