The Iowa DNR has reported that a large concentration of infected deer are currently in Warren County, as Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) is impacting deer in south central Iowa. EHD is caused by a virus spread by female midges that feed on deer. It causes high fever in deer and the cell membranes in their heart, lungs and diaphragm to weaken and burst. Infected deer are attracted to water to combat the fever and dehydration due to the hemorrhaging and usually die within a few days. The current loss estimate of the local deer population is more than 400 in 2019, and that number is likely to increase as bow hunters head to the timber to begin placing their tree stands.