Bait vs Food plots

[yoderjac]

The two most prevalent ones are CWD and EHD. CWD is spread primarily by ingestion and EHD is spread by insect bites.

I'm not sure about prevalence, but EHD midges are found in the nostrils. I don't think we yet have a full understanding of CWD vectors, but ingestion is clearly one and bait piles are a potential concentration of prions. Tiny food plots in high deer density areas certainly could be a risk from an ingestion standpoint. Keep in mind we need to look at the entirety of our practice and we seem to oversimplify them in this thread. Certainly supplemental feeding can be done in ways that are less risky than others. The same would be true of food plots. That does not address the relative risk between the two of them. I would contend that food plots, in general as most are implemented, are a lower risk than supplemental feeding or baiting as it is most commonly done, but that is just my opinion.

 

[BenAllgood]

I'm not sure about prevalence, but EHD midges are found in the nostrils.

 

[yoderjac]

Correct. The midges are generally found at water sources. Bites usually occur inside the nostrils of the deer.

 

[BenAllgood]

Correct. The midges are generally found at water sources. Bites usually occur inside the nostrils of the deer.

Yes. I just wanted to make sure the info was clear. EHD isn't passed by face to face contact. It's passed by a midge biting a deer. The virus isn't passed from deer to deer, but midge to deer and deer to midge. The midge is the vector.

 

[yoderjac]

Yes. I just wanted to make sure the info was clear. EHD isn't passed by face to face contact. It's passed by a midge biting a deer. The virus isn't passed from deer to deer, but midge to deer and deer to midge. The midge is the vector.

I recall some old studies, before the internet, so they are on paper. They were looking at midges moving from the nostrils of deer to deer. I don't recall the details or outcome of those studies, but, at least at the time, face-to-face was a risk they were exploring. I'll see if I can dig up a hardcopy of anything.

 

[yoderjac]

It will be interesting, in the upcoming years, to find out what, if any, impact COVID19 has on deer.

 

[BenAllgood]

I recall some old studies, before the internet, so they are on paper. They were looking at midges moving from the nostrils of deer to deer. I don't recall the details or outcome of those studies, but, at least at the time, face-to-face was a risk they were exploring. I'll see if I can dig up a hardcopy of anything.

I don't doubt at all that the gnat will bite one deer in the nose then move to another deer's nose and bite it. It's just that EHD isn't airborne.

 

[yoderjac]

I don't doubt at all that the gnat will bite one deer in the nose then move to another deer's nose and bite it. It's just that EHD isn't airborne.

Completely agree. It is not airborne and probably does not have the same level of risk from face-to-face as airborne. I think they were trying to figure out if face-to-face was a significant factor at the time with EHD. The problem with all of this is that we don't have good hard data on the level of risk associated with each disease and each vector. We can make some logical common sense judgements, but each of us can, in good conscience, come to different conclusions about the risk/reward ratio of each of our practices.

The best we can do in a thread like this is to make sure folks are aware there is some level of risk and them them decide what the right balance is for them. Folks can argue endlessly over the relative risks of each practice. Both science and politics will drive the decisions on regulations that each game department will use.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[Bassattackr]

politics alone will drive the decisions on regulations that each game department will use.

Thanks,

Jack

Fixed for you Jack

 

[BenAllgood]

Completely agree. It is not airborne and probably does not have the same level of risk from face-to-face as airborne. I think they were trying to figure out if face-to-face was a significant factor at the time with EHD. The problem with all of this is that we don't have good hard data on the level of risk associated with each disease and each vector. We can make some logical common sense judgements, but each of us can, in good conscience, come to different conclusions about the risk/reward ratio of each of our practices.

The best we can do in a thread like this is to make sure folks are aware there is some level of risk and them them decide what the right balance is for them. Folks can argue endlessly over the relative risks of each practice. Both science and politics will drive the decisions on regulations that each game department will use.

Thanks,

Jack

I agree. My whole reason for being on this thread, that I know will never ever be seen eye to eye on, is to relate my experiences. When managing in Louisiana, I did camera surveys every year across a couple thousand acres. I would run one camera per 40 acres. I had 21 homebrew cameras that I would setup and move around on bait piles (either corn or rice bran) to census deer at the beginning of each season (prime gnat time). I also ran feeders. Some were in plots and some weren't. Some were gravity fed and some were spinners. I also planted about 25 acres spread across 24 plots each year. The bait was really just to get up close pics. I didn't see a big benefit in shooting over trough vs pasture. I haven't really seen a benefit in Kentucky either. In fact, I'd say my chances increase watching cover that I can see into where the deer feel they are safe instead of a pasture or trough. When I say pasture, I mean plot. When I say trough, I mean feed.

Predictability is the key to consistent success. I try to make deer predictable. Being predictable means multiple visits not at random. That leads to congregation if at food, bed, water, transitions, or social areas. How close the congregation point is, is the sticking point, and where people don't see eye to eye on.

 

[yoderjac]

Fixed for you Jack

Well, that is certainly not the case in my state. They are doing a good job of science based decision making. That is not to say that politics is not a significant influence as well, but it does not dominate here.

 

[H20fwler]

My bait sites are fine, I spray them with Lysol before I fill my feeders...................

 

[yoderjac]

My bait sites are fine, I spray them with Lysol before I fill my feeders...................

I knew a guy that would sprinkle Sevin powder into turkey dusting bowls to keep the ticks down. Have no idea if it made a difference.