# Dead deer found along Clinton River



## Fish&GameWhisperer (Jan 27, 2008)

PUBLISHED: Thursday, September 4, 2008
*Dead deer found along Clinton River*

*Officials still can't pinpoint cause*

*By Chad Selweski*
Macomb Daily Staff Writer

State officials don't know what has killed 25 deer found along the Clinton River, but they have reached two conclusions. 
They do not believe what's killing the deer presents a health concern for humans, and they are convinced that the river water is not contaminated. 
"Basically, we don't know anything new yet (about the cause)," said Mary Dettloff, a spokeswoman for the Department of Natural Resources. "We're waiting results from the testing being done at Michigan State University." 
The deer have been found near Utica, in Bloomer State Park in Rochester Hills and at the Oakland University golf course. In the area near M-59 and Auburn Road, two more deer were found Wednesday by a utility crew that's clearing brush and tree branches near power lines. 
Tom McCormack of Macomb Township said six dead deer have been discovered since Thursday within a 200-yard swath of land abutting the river bank. 
A 20-year veteran tree trimmer, McCormack said he and the four fellow members of his cutting crew have never experienced anything like the stench that the deer carcasses give off in the heat. 
"Our concern is about our own safety," said McCormack, who works for Kappen Tree Service, a contractor for utility companies. "As many as we've found, it doesn't seem real healthy for the public or their pets or anybody." 
At MSU, biologists are conducting autopsies -- "necropsies"-- of the deer, analyzing their tissue and stomach contents. 
The tests should show if the deaths are due to toxins or a virus or some type of bacteria. 
The Macomb County Animal Shelter retrieved the newest deer carcasses discovered near Utica. One was too deteriorated to send to the DNR but officials hope the second will prove helpful in pinpointing the cause. 
Dettloff said chronic wasting disease, an infectious illness similar to mad cow disease, has been ruled out. 
Some people living near the river have said they've seen deer die after drinking from the Clinton. But the DNR said the individual deaths appear to occur quickly and the river water is not a potential source of contamination. 
Macomb County Health Department Director Tom Kalkofen said a variety of animals, ranging from water fowl to groundhogs, also drink from the river. 
"If it was the water," Kalkofen said, "you would see more than just dead deer." 
The testing results from MSU, Dettloff said, should be available by Friday. That info will be made public immediately.


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## Fish&GameWhisperer (Jan 27, 2008)

http://www.macombdaily.com/stories/090408/loc_local01.shtml


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## jjc155 (Oct 16, 2005)

Havent heard this theory brought up yet. 

What about Blue Tongue (cant remember the real name of the disease) but I know that it causes mass death in heard, spreads very quick, makes deer act weird and the kicker (atleast here) is that in the very late stages it causes deer to be very thirsty so many of them are found dead around water. Could just be a coincidence that people are reporting seeing deer drinking from the river and then keeling over. 

I would think that the first thing that was done was to test the water and like the report said that if it was the water many other species of animals would be dead too (deer are the largest species in the area and thus it would take more of a toxin to kill them).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluetongue_virus

Just a thought.

J-


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