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For you guys that hunt in Illinois every year. Hear that southern part of Illinois has had some problems with Blue Tongue Disease this year. Seems south of Pike and Calhoun Counties hit the worst. Anyone else heard this?

It seems to be affecting alot of the midwest...

yep, going to nebraska early december and have read that there's something decimating large numbers of deer, so they're reducing the antlerless tags.

Yep, been reading on it. And I'm scheduled to go to Calhoun in Nov

Did the drought conditions have anything to do with this.

i'm a little worried about it myself. Not only did the blue tongue wipe out a big majority of the herd, but the crops didn't produces like they have in the past and it's going to effect the antler development. Too late now though

mshunter77 wrote:Did the drought conditions have anything to do with this.

Yes drought does have major part if not all of the reason... Doesn't usually show up unless drought.

I killed a doe in tallahachie county last week that had blue tongue, she was in sad shape.

My family and roots are in McCoupin County and Calhoun County. Usually go and deer and duck hunt. Skipping the deer hunting my cousins have said it's so bad.

Said it's mainly due to lack of water so they've been drinking stagnant water, etc. It will take years for it to get back how it was.

It is def. related to the drought and as most of you know the midwest was hit very hard and so was the corn crop. They have seen more cases of blue tongue due to this and the bacteria and insects that are in stagnant waters. With that being said it did not wipe out any herds. The deer are still there, some did die, but I have traveled through and hunted some of the midwest. The deer are still there. I think it affects the weak or already sickened deer more than young healthy ones. Happy hunting!!! The rut is very near!!!