Deer licks

[TringSaint]

Hi,

Has anyone used sheep / cattle mineral and molasses licks with any great success on deer?
Things like lifeline ewe and lamb or stowag mineral lick?

Thx in advance

 

[wytonpjs]

Bought some "red blocks" from Mole Valley and I'm quite impressed! One though doesn't seen much action but the other 2 are being hammered. Was told by a FE ranger to chain them up on a fork so that the rain trickles the salts down the trunks - it works. I am concerned though looking at one that I see badgers, foxes, roe, muntjac and fallow all licking the tree and, having listened to some US CWD podcasts, there's is a chance of cross-contamination. Not a huge issue at present as we don't have CWD here (yet) but it is a transmission path for communicable diseases.

There was a good thread on here a while back about some imported blocks that you can no longer easily get. I have now bought some of Bushwear's Big Boy US blocks to try:

BushWear BigBoy Brick Deer Food Block 10kg

The BushWear BigBoy Brick Deer Food Block 10kg is a powerful combination of nutrition, attraction and durability, designed for stalkers, gamekeepers and wildlife managers who want to support healthy deer populations while encouraging consistent feeding activity in the field.Fortified with...

www.bushwear.co.uk

 

[Buchan]

Don't use them unless you want to increase the risk of disease in your deer!

 

[HonestJohn]

Don't use them unless you want to increase the risk of disease in your deer!

Very true, it’s like shagging the village bicycle

 

[TringSaint]

Don't use them unless you want to increase the risk of disease in your deer!

Ok, now I’m intrigued.
Why an increase in disease ? More deer coming in contact with more deer saliva?

 

[HonestJohn]

Ok, now I’m intrigued.
Why an increase in disease ? More deer coming in contact with more deer saliva?

Only takes one bad apple to spoil the whole damn lot

 

[shakey jake]

Ok, now I’m intrigued.
Why an increase in disease ? More deer coming in contact with more deer saliva?

id assume tb, wet environment, badgers and deer. too many animals visiting one point. not sure what others are transmissable

 

[Tim.243]

id assume tb, wet environment, badgers and deer. too many animals visiting one point. not sure what others are transmissable

Rubbish so all the deer who get sick is now blamed on salt lick cross contamination What about the deer that get sick where salt licks are not used.

 

[Tim.243]

Ok, now I’m intrigued.
Why an increase in disease ? More deer coming in contact with more deer saliva?

At best a study cherry picked from the same people BASC listen to.

 

[VSS]

Where animals are encouraged to congregate in unnaturally high densities on the same small area of heavily contaminated ground, over a prolonged period, then the rapid spread of diseases within the local population is more likely.
That much is common sense. No need to cherry pick any studies to understand it.

 

[CookM]

Don't use them unless you want to increase the risk of disease in your deer!

As with HPAI,ASF,TB,ET AL.....
lf you concentrate the biomass,mammals,avians into a specific concentration point,the risk of mass spread is accelerated existentially.

To walk through a deep valley that has had HPAI,that has no Wrens,Tits,Thrushes...
Game bird poults,is a lesson in how things go massively pear shaped.

Don't treat the threat of disease spread lightly.

Does anyone remember FMD.

Been there twice.

 

[CookM]

Where animals are encouraged to congregate in unnaturally high densities on the same small area of heavily contaminated ground, over a prolonged period, then the rapid spread of diseases within the local population is more likely.
That much is common sense. No need to cherry pick any studies to understand it.

We can go to simple examples,too many rabbits in buries,MXY if you are were lucky,going back late 70's when l first had a ferret.
To RVHD wiping out the same area of Hants l grew up in, and was fed by after l moved West.
A sad thing as near Watership Down country.
R.Adams was a bit of an eccentric,but good for a pint and a debate.

 

[TringSaint]

I get all of this - kind of makes sense. But if this is the accepted norm, then why do so many stalking outfitters sell mineral and salt licks for deer?
Surely they would know not to sell them due to the enhanced risk of disease spread - or do they just not give a $hit?

 

[Tim.243]

As with HPAI,ASF,TB,ET AL.....
lf you concentrate the biomass,mammals,avians into a specific concentration point,the risk of mass spread is accelerated existentially.

To walk through a deep valley that has had HPAI,that has no Wrens,Tits,Thrushes...
Game bird poults,is a lesson in how things go massively pear shaped.

Don't treat the threat of disease spread lightly.

Does anyone remember FMD.

Been there twice.

And when bird flu lands on the marsh, then a free range turkey/chicken farm you cant slaughter all the ducks as it is to late.

 

[CookM]

People buy Milspec torches,when a small headlight does the job.
Punter pounds.
"Time spent in reconnaissance is seldom wasted."
Find your deer's habits,all will be well.

 

[Tim.243]

I get all of this - kind of makes sense. But if this is the accepted norm, then why do so many stalking outfitters sell mineral and salt licks for deer?
Surely they would know not to sell them due to the enhanced risk of disease spread - or do they just not give a $hit?

Roe get sick if the wind blows the wrong way, out of a moderate count of 400 muntjac I have binned 2 (one in the week went on the big farm fire) and many feed and use, walk over the same ground day in day out.

 

[CookM]

And when bird flu lands on the marsh, then a free range turkey/chicken farm you cant slaughter all the ducks as it is to late.

Very true,when the swans and widgeon come in the estuaries,or the swannery,it comes with them.
But we can try not to accelerate risk in any way we can with diseases.

 

[Tim.243]

Very true,when the swans and widgeon come in the estuaries,or the swannery,it comes with them.
But we can try not to accelerate risk in any way we can with diseases.

Yes but this was about salt licks but like you I pointed out that deer get sick with no salt licks on the ground, duck me nearly every sheep farm I have shot over have white tubs of mineral licks dotted around and the water will pool in it as it get used.
I am not sure how some members get through their week with out walking into a lamp post

 

[HonestJohn]

I get all of this - kind of makes sense. But if this is the accepted norm, then why do so many stalking outfitters sell mineral and salt licks for deer?
Surely they would know not to sell them due to the enhanced risk of disease spread - or do they just not give a $hit?

Marketing = money

 

[CookM]

Yes but this was about salt licks but like you I pointed out that deer get sick with no salt licks on the ground, duck me nearly every sheep farm I have shot over have white tubs of mineral licks dotted around and the water will pool in it as it get used.
I am not sure how some members get through their week with out walking into a lamp post

They should be tipped out,or moved to reduce the risk.
It can get ignored when busy.

Don't go into lit up areas.