The disease has a mortality rate of 80%, some deer survive. The disease cannot be transferred from deer to deer. It is transmitted by a midge/biting fly. Some deer can carry the disease for a bit before getting a fever, in which they search for water and sometimes succomb to the disease.

That being said, if you shoot a deer with the disease, it has no affect on humans if you should eat it.

There's a hope that the deer who survive, build an immunity to the diease and pass it on to their young..