feeding deer

[one more cast]

It is now against the law to feed wild deer in new york state because it MAYBE could cause or spread CWD (cronic wasting disease) but it is OK to sell and buy cigarettes that for sure kill people. IMO its all about $$$.

 

[LadyFish]

Re: feeding deer

How will they keep them out of the corn fields? Wouldn't crops institute a feeding area?<br /><br />I found this link on it FAQ's

 

[pjc]

Re: feeding deer

OMC, if you can't feed them food such as corn, etc--can you set up a mineral lick for deer and other wildlife that can benefit? By mineral lick I do not refer to a salt or mineral block. <br /><br />I do refer to creating a kind of natural silty clay or heavy soil based lick--ie- 100# livestock minerals (calcium/potasium) sweetened with 200# livestock salt. Dig this mix right into ground and deer, etc will start using shortly. <br /><br />You can go buy high priced designer whitetail mineral/salt stuff--but--is realy no more than whit I described--maybe less. <br /><br />Most mineral blocks at farm and barn, etc, for deer hunters only contain traces of benificial minerals.

 

[one more cast]

Re: feeding deer

I've just began doing research on minerals for deer. We are trying to manage our local deer heard and we are planing on planting food plots in the spring. It is legal to plant corn or other crops for the deer as long as you leave it in the fields. Most of the local farms are abandoned and overgrown with weeds.we had some big tree woods clear cut for food plots and so under brush will grow.

 

[one more cast]

Re: feeding deer

they are serious about inforcing this no feeding law, they are patroling by air.

 

[LadyFish]

Re: feeding deer

OMC, but what about the remnants of corn fields. Dosen't that cause deer to migrate to one area? And, from what I read its the influx of two many deer to one area and the waste they produce that causes the problem.

 

[pjc]

Re: feeding deer

OMC, my 40 was clear cut in '95. It has become a highly used bed area for deer. Most woods around me are older growth. Initialy I was considering planting wild natural food plots. Best advice I recieved was to leave alone. One key to an or several mineral licks is that deer will use them if natural minerals are not readily available. And I do believe that the seasons crop of natural foods will determine how heavy deer use the licks.<br /><br />This past summer in northern WI it was pretty dry. The one lick I established three years ago was "eaten" down half a foot or so and 3-4' dia.<br />You will know if deer are using the lick due to hoof prints, digging, etc.<br /><br />The beauty of the lick imo is that all deer will use it--does needing neutrition after birthing, fawns as well as them bucks that the minerals help grow nice racks.<br /><br />I understand that corn is actually pretty poor food source for deer unless supplimented by browse or other agricultural stuff--ie clover, oats, alphapha and so forth.

 

[Fly Rod]

Re: feeding deer

Cronic wasting disease {Mad Cow disease }has nothing to do with corn fields; soybeans; apple trees; alfalfa etc.<br />The disease came about by deer going to cattle farms basically at night and feeding on the left overs of cattle feed which not only contained corn and other crops but also contained byproducts of animals such as cows; pigs etc. which has been band since the epedemic in Europe. And I'm pretty sure that it was already band in the USA BUT some how large amounts of the feed with the byproduct was distributed in this country. <br />Every State is differant with there laws.In some states you can't just go out and hang salt licks etc.<br />In Maine it is illegal to feed or bait deer From Sept.- the hunting season.<br />As far as cigarettes killing people; people are expendable just ask any of them PETA people.

 

[roscoe]

Re: feeding deer

Mad cow and CWD are not the same, and are not transmitted the same. CWD is caused by something called a pryon(sp). <br /><br />WI had a deer feed ban put in place last year. This year it was recinded.<br /><br />THe same logic that said feeding would congregate deer in a given area, also means that deer will stay where they are, if they have food. Most deer live their lives within 10 miles of their birth place anyway. Also, WI is loaded with crop land and deer forage of all kinds.<br /><br />Last years feeding ban, made criminals out of 95% of homeowners with a bird feeder.

 

[Fly Rod]

Re: feeding deer

Mad cow; CWD as far as I'm concerned is the same regardless of what the government wants to call it. It has been covered up for many years and they thought it would go away. One out of one million people in this country die from it every year that is about 500 people.<br />Prions are normal proteins found through out the body tissues of humans & animals which transform into tiny particles that can not be killed by boiling water; chemical disinfectants or strong radiation.<br />First known case in deer was about in 1967 at Ft. Collins ,Colorado Some believe it actually started in sheep which were at Ft. Collins which was an animal labratory.

 

[roscoe]

Re: feeding deer

One out of one hundred million people in this country

That would be 4 people per year. I bet you meant <br />one out of every million.<br /><br />Anyway, there's lots of stuff out there killing us, always has been, always will be. You can't live forever, and who would want to? I'd be more worried about NutraSweet and Hydrogenated oils.<br /><br />I'm off to celebrate Christmas. We are going to eat BEEF and VENISON.<br /><br />Merry Christmas.

 

[Fly Rod]

Re: feeding deer

I stand corrected ! ! !<br /><br /> MERRY ! ! MERRY ! !<br /> CHRISTMAS ! !

 

[lund17]

Re: feeding deer

We've kept cracked corn I get from my buddy's farm in a small trough because we enjoy the 5-6 deer that come each day. They are the same deer that come in the fall to clean up the apples that fall naturally from our tree. Deer will herd up every winter whether you feed them or not. Like most rules I believe this is meant to discourage the extreme. ( I've seen people who feed 50-100 deer a day) I for one will continue to enjoy my little "family" in the yard. No disrespect intended.

 

[rolmops]

Re: feeding deer

I have been feeding my suburban deer for almost five years now.It keeps them from crossing the road and getting people in cars hurt.My deer are so tame now that the fawns come and sniff the cat and my 12 year old can walk up to the does.The bucks are more reserved.Up here it is too cold for lime disease ticks to survive the winter so I don't worry about that one.Hunting is forbidden in my town,(the houses are to close together)so we had to just learn to live with them.

 

[roscoe]

Re: feeding deer

I have been feeding my suburban deer

What a coincidence, I've been feed my van deer for several years also. <br /><br />I wouldn't count on the cold to kill the deer ticks. They survive in northern WI and MN.<br /><br />Humans usually pick up the deer ticks by walking in long grass.<br /><br />Here is the latest CDC Lyme disease risk map. You are on it.<br /> http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/lyme/riskmap.htm

 

[one more cast]

Re: feeding deer

rolmops, I've been treated for lyme disease, I tested border line positive so they wern't sure.

 

[aspeck]

Re: feeding deer

I've been feeding deer at my house for years also - just look at the shrubs, that will prove it! Game Commissions sayu I can't claim "Crop Damage." Houses might be close together, but the bow does a nice job!

 

[Fly Rod]

Re: feeding deer

Didn't realize that the deer tick was that far north. I know that the cold doesn't kill them off only slows them down. Have you personally seen ticks on deer in northern Wisconsin ? I've been hunting deer in my home state of Massachusetts and in northern Maine since 1962. Have never seen deer or dog ticks on deer in Maine.<br />Massachusetts is loaded with deer ticks. If you walk 50yards in the woods you would have more ticks on your pants leg then flies on dog pooh!! And when you bag a deer here there are hundreds on that deer.You can see them crawling.

 

[roscoe]

Re: feeding deer

No, I haven't seen them on a deer, but I'm not a hunter. I just kill them with my van.<br /><br />Although "deer tick" is their name, they can live on and travel on any animal. Here in WI-(cold), most ticks will drop off the deer before hunting season, so you are unlikely to find them on a deer.<br /><br />My grandmother and 2 friends were/are infected.<br />Grandma never touched a deer, but she was out in the garden and field grass quite a bit. You can also be infected by the "NYMPH".<br /><br />Life cycle: <br />*egg-hatches-becomes a larva(not infected yet)<br />*larva feeds on mammal or bird and MAY become infected<br />*larva sheds and becomes a nymph<br />*nymph feeds, usually on a white footed mouse or other small mammal and becomes infected, If it was infected as a larva, it can now transmit.<br />*nymphs winter over in grass and leaves(infected and tranmittable)<br />*nymph feeds again(transmittable), then sheds and becomes a tick<br />*ticks usually feed and mate on a deer in late summer<br />*the male dies, the female drops off deposits eggs on the ground<br /><br />The larva are the size of a pin head.

 

[CalicoKid]

Re: feeding deer

Something in one of Flyrod's posts caught my attention... He mentioned a US feed ban on animal feed containing the byproducts of other animals. This "feed ban" only goes as far as its name and was a tool to comfort the US public after watching the cattle crisis unfold in England. Our feed ban specifies only that animal feed containing rendered animal byproducts including brain and spinal material must be labeled "Do not feed to rumenants" but does not actually make it illegal to feed the cattle rendered animal parts from cattle and other animal slaughter houses. The same feed ingredients are used for pigs, chickens, you name it. Calf weening formulas often contain blood plasma wringed from slaughterhouse blood. I've been reading quite a lot about these processes lately and am thoroughly sick! My meat all comes from the woods now or a couple of small managed pasture type farms operating in the area. Expensive but worth it.<br /><br />On bait piles, I believe the purpose of the bait and feeding bans (at least here in WI) is to put a stop to bait dumping in large piles. The theory the DNR is working on is that large numbers of deer are congregating at, slobbering on, walking and deficating in, and eating from the same large piles of corn, grain etc. Some piles found have measured 20'+ in diameter. One was a row 3' high, 5' wide and 50' long! I'm not sure but I think mineral licks are exempt in most of WI. I've never heard of someone getting in trouble for having deer tracks around thier bird feeder (I'd be in big trouble).<br /><br />I live in what the DNR refers to as a "CWD Management Zone" and am across a bay from the locally famous "Eradication Zone" in which the DNR wants all deer killed, all of them, and is testing a large sample for CWD. Hunters get unlimited tags, testing is free.<br /><br />We need our wolves back. Predacious animals are nature's way of culling herds of wobbly deer and I'd bet they (wolves) can't contract the diseases of the animals they've co-adapted with over the millenia.