Deer ticks are infamous for transmitting Lyme disease and can infect people with other pathogens. (Aaron Bolton)Knowing a new species like the deer tick has arrived in Montana or other states is important for doctors. For numerous local and state health departments, tick surveillance relies on a less expensive, more passive approach. That means he’s unable to monitor emerging populations of deer ticks as closely as he would like. Deer ticks are also called black-legged ticks.