Zone 12 Deer Hunters Asked To Help Survey For Ticks

November 21, 2017

The NJDEP Division of Fish & Wildlife is asking deer hunters in Deer Management Zone 12 for help in locating an exotic East Asian tick species, known as the longhorned tick or bush tick, which was recently found on a farm in Hunterdon County.

The initial identification was done by Rutgers University and the Hunterdon County health department. This tick is not known to occur in the U.S., although there are records of at least a dozen previous collections of this species in the country on animals and materials presented for entry at U.S. ports.

This tick is a serious pest to livestock (including cattle, horses, farmed deer, sheep, and goats), as well as wildlife, pets, and humans.

Therefore, we are doing targeted surveillance on deer which are harvested in Deer Management Units 193, 194, 206, 207 (see DMU Map), which surround the area where the tick was found.

There will be a tick collection station at the Clinton Wildlife Management Area on Monday through Wednesday, November 27, 28, and 29. The address for the Clinton WMA is 141 Van Syckels Road, Hampton, NJ 08827.

After harvest, hunters should register deer as usual before bringing them to the tick collection station. There you will be required to submit your Confirmation Number when your deer is examined. We are ONLY inspecting deer from DMUs 193, 194, 206, 207.

HUNTER PARTICIPATION IS REQUIRED in order to determine if this tick has spread beyond the location where it was found.

For more information see the NJ Dept. of Agriculture news release: Exotic Tick Species Identified on Hunterdon County Farm.

For questions on the Division's surveillance and deer check, please call Carole Stanko at 609-984-6295.