Mineral and Corn

[Rakkin6]

Usually I put out some corn mixed with molasses and some minerals. With CWD becoming a problem what are your thoughts on this. I live in middle Tennessee, Clarksville Montgomery county area. Has far has I know we haven't had a problem with CWD but at the same time I don't want to contribute. Thanks for any comments and advice

 

[BSK]

Don't do it. There is no benefit to it, and lots of potential negatives.

 

[TheLBLman]

If you're trying to start new SALT ONLY licks, consider some non-food spray aromas you can initially put out above your licks. I like persimmon and honeysuckle scents, and/or just some vanilla flavoring. Anything attractive to deer that would bring deer over to your lick.

Once any deer start regularly using the new lick, nothing else is needed but the salt.

 

[Quailman]

Don't do it. There is no benefit to it, and lots of potential negatives.

Agree 100%. Thanks for asking though Rakkin6.

 

[Omega]

I have been putting out mineral blocks for about 12 years or so. I started using the ones specifically for deer, but noticed that the cattle ones had roughly the same ingredients so now use those, except once in awhile I find the others on sale. I don't get many deer on my particular licks, maybe 6 or so, never more than 10, so don't think it would impact them either way. Not 100% sure if the surrounding areas have food plots and feeders out, but pretty sure they do, which is why i only get stragglers.

 

[megalomaniac]

If you're trying to start new SALT ONLY licks, consider some non-food spray aromas you can initially put out above your licks. I like persimmon and honeysuckle scents, and/or just some vanilla flavoring. Anything attractive to deer that would bring deer over to your lick.

Once any deer start regularly using the new lick, nothing else is needed but the salt.

Grape Kool aid is the best attractant to a new mineral site. Sounds crazy, but it is true

 

[Shed Hunter]

I've started experimenting with licking branches even in the summer for picture purposes. Otherwise I don't know what good mineral does if CWD is there to outweigh any potential benefit

 

[Joseph457]

I see no need in doing that, it's actually not profitable !

 

[BSK]

Otherwise I don't know what good mineral does if CWD is there to outweigh any potential benefit

There is no benefit to mineral sites from a biological perspective. Different groups, especially mineral mix sellers, have been try for years to show actual evidence that access to mineral sites by free-ranging deer produces benefits. They have not been able to.

I only used mineral sites (actually salt licks) to get late-summer pictures of deer. Using corn to draw them in front of cameras at that time can be quite dangerous to wildlife.

 

[Deer Assassin]

Using corn to draw them in front of cameras at that time can be quite dangerous to wildlife.

Why isnt every deer herd in KY TX and other baiting states dying off.

 

[BSK]

Why isnt every deer herd in KY TX and other baiting states dying off.

Because it takes a lot of aflatoxin to kill a deer. But it doesn't take much at all to make them sick. And it takes very little to kill every turkey that touches it. And I've seen properties with summer corn piles and dead adult turkeys scattered everywhere.

 

[DoubleRidge]

Because it takes a lot of aflatoxin to kill a deer. But it doesn't take much at all to make them sick. And it takes very little to kill every turkey that touches it. And I've seen properties with summer corn piles and dead adult turkeys scattered everywhere.

Everytime I walk past a pallet of "deer corn" at local stores I wonder how many dead turkeys it will generate? Disturbing.

On a similar note we had a horse once that was having digestive issues and the Vet asked what type feed we were using.... we said basically a standard sweet feed mix....he immediately said get him off it now.....and explained the corn that's in it these days is hybrid and much of it contains a mold or fungus inside the kernel that can cause issues with horses....we swapped to oats and alfalfa pellets and the horses condition improved quickly.....the Vet was an older gentleman and he said as a kid he always fed corn directly from the crib to their horses with no issue....but many of today's corns are different....and it's processed differently.....anyway, it was very eye opening to me.....big difference in growing corn verses pouring it out of a bag in a pile.....it certainly can be toxic in some cases.

 

[Deer Assassin]

I guess these states all around us that allow baiting don't care about their Turkey populations

 

[TheLBLman]

The risks of feeding corn to wildlife have been very understated, and most doing it have no idea the risks. I really believe the increase in wildlife "feeders" (which mostly throw "deer corn" from Walmart) has been a significant reason for wild turkey population drops across the entire Southeastern U.S.

The issue of aflatoxin being present or developing in corn is not as significant Texas for two reasons:

1) Texas generally has a less humid climate than most Southeastern states.

2) It's illegal to sell aflatoxin corn in Texas.
------ So guess what? It gets sent to Walmarts all across the Southeast to be sold as "deer corn" in other states.

Aflatoxin may seldom kill deer, but if often makes them "sick", lowering their resistance to diseases, weakening them physically, making them more prone to dying from other causes.

Also, since they eat too much corn when it's available, those deer can suffer nutritionally, much like giving an obese child nothing to eat but more candy. This can be counter-productive to growing anything but fat.

 

[TheLBLman]

I guess these states all around us that allow baiting don't care about their Turkey populations

I think they're just now finding out just how bad the aflatoxin has been.
It's not just about turkeys either.
It's any bird that ingests a corn kernel infected with aflatoxin.

It's also the corn sold as "deer corn" that is most likely to have or develop aflatoxin.
A field of corn, and/or what's left there after harvest, is relatively low risk.

In the case of killing birds, I suspect birds that are primarily ground dwelling and ground feeding would be most effected. You know, like quail, and turkeys.

 

[Ski]

It's been awhile so I could be mistaken on the source, but I read an article I think from Mississippi State University deer lab that detailed the role of mineral sites. Basically the gist of it was that a buck's antler potential is determined by the mother's health at the time and shortly after conception. The better nourished the mother doe, the more antler potential the buck fawn will express. Otherwise mineral sites offer little or nothing in the way of influencing antler size. I'll dig around and see if I can find that article again. It was pretty interesting.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

It's been awhile so I could be mistaken on the source, but I read an article I think from Mississippi State University deer lab that detailed the role of mineral sites. Basically the gist of it was that a buck's antler potential is determined by the mother's health at the time and shortly after conception. The better nourished the mother doe, the more antler potential the buck fawn will express. Otherwise mineral sites offer little or nothing in the way of influencing antler size. I'll dig around and see if I can find that article again. It was pretty interesting.

All true Ski. Particularly the "overlooked by most" part about the health of mama from time of conception all through the time the fawn comes off the milk

 

[BSK]

I guess these states all around us that allow baiting don't care about their Turkey populations

Considering how far turkey populations have fallen across the Southeast, kinda makes me wonder.

 

[BSK]

It's been awhile so I could be mistaken on the source, but I read an article I think from Mississippi State University deer lab that detailed the role of mineral sites. Basically the gist of it was that a buck's antler potential is determined by the mother's health at the time and shortly after conception. The better nourished the mother doe, the more antler potential the buck fawn will express. Otherwise mineral sites offer little or nothing in the way of influencing antler size. I'll dig around and see if I can find that article again. It was pretty interesting.

This is all partially true Ski, however the role of epigenetics in buck antler potential is really throwing a monkey wrench into things, but epigenetics is really the "answer" to why mother doe health pre-conception is important. However, it goes much deeper than that.

 

[Headhunter]

Because it takes a lot of aflatoxin to kill a deer. But it doesn't take much at all to make them sick. And it takes very little to kill every turkey that touches it. And I've seen properties with summer corn piles and dead adult turkeys scattered everywhere.

Sounds like a positive to me. It would not bother me one bit if there were no more turkeys. I have no use for them at all.