Mineral sites and standing water and EHD

[j-bird]

So, I pulled this card yesterday and the first thing I noticed is that I must have every deer within a mile of my place in this picture.....I count 10, which is more than I have EVER had in one pic before. What I did notice and am more concerned about is the mud and standing water. I am concerned about this as I don't want to create a situation favorable for EHD midges. I know after a few days the water will be gone....but it still concerns me, especially in a place I am drawing deer to. I am considering putting down some creek gravel or even wood mulch just to help with the water even though the deer still drink it. Do you guy have issues like this and what do you do....if anything?

 

[SwampCat]

I wonder if the salt content of that water would reduce the chance for ehd midge reproduction?

 

[BenAllgood]

They need to practice social distancing. Are you sure that's not Louisiana?

Pretty much any mineral lick made down here ends up looking like a mudhole. In areas not accustomed to EHD, bluetongue, and similar viruses over the years, they can take a toll on populations that congregate in small locations. Luckily, immunities can be built up, or places like Louisiana would have massive die offs all the time.

 

[Catscratch]

Salt helps biting midges due to the fact that they can handle high salinity and predator insects can't. The larvae need shallow water and mud. You might try to steepen the edges of your mud holes to rid the area of shallow mud. Might also consider installing a water container and doing away with the mud with backfill.

I'm researching insecticides but since I like bees it's not a easy solution. There are possibilities though.

 

[Apple Junkie]

I rotate my mineral stations every 4 to 6 months between 3 locations that are only about 50 yards or so apart. I fill in and rake the puddles. It does not take long for the new area to get muddied up, but there is very little standing water, and only for a short period of time.

For me, I get concerned about seeing too many deer in one spot, which makes me sometime wonder if I am doing more harm than good by putting the mineral block out at all... but I keep doing it. I am considering making a "mineral lick" I think it is called by spreading certain minerals directly on the ground. Food for thought.

 

[yoderjac]

Point source attractants congregate deer and increase face to face contact. EHD is only one of the possible diseases that could be advantaged by it. I've stopped all of my mineral licks quite a while back. With no evidence that mineral supplements benefit free ranging deer, the risks associated with disease spread far outweigh any benefit. Supplemental feeding is now banned through out most of the year in our state and with the advance of CWD, it is banned year-round in many areas.

I completely abandoned any point source attractants a number of years back, and I'm now very glad I did.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[j-bird]

I have found that these mineral sites are the best way for me to inventory the deer in my area. I would NEVER had suspected that I would have that many deer in one picture....a unique first for me. Normally it's a doe with her fawns or a small family group. I was VERY surprised by that video! I think I will certainly try to do something to address the standing water. I avoid putting the block directly on the ground as my ground is fairly porous and lacks clay and as such the deer can dig a decent hole after the salt pretty quickly....which then leads to holding water on a temporary basis. I think I will head to the creek for some sand and gravel......

 

[yoderjac]

I have found that these mineral sites are the best way for me to inventory the deer in my area. I would NEVER had suspected that I would have that many deer in one picture....a unique first for me. Normally it's a doe with her fawns or a small family group. I was VERY surprised by that video! I think I will certainly try to do something to address the standing water. I avoid putting the block directly on the ground as my ground is fairly porous and lacks clay and as such the deer can dig a decent hole after the salt pretty quickly....which then leads to holding water on a temporary basis. I think I will head to the creek for some sand and gravel......

Understand...That is why I originally used them when I first started. I found when I moved to black flash I was able to inventory without point source attractants. You have to weigh the value of the data against the risks. My inventory method is probably not as good as the MSU protocol, but it doesn't have the risks. I came down on the side of removing all point source attractants.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[j-bird]

So as a follow up...I felt compelled to do something about the mud/water. So yesterday during my mandatory vacation day due to the VIRUS I went to the creek and got some larger rocks to form a base and then added a layer of sand and gravel and then a little top soil. We will see if it works or not. I hope it does....carrying 5 gallon buckets up the creek bank is a PITA. I may take a loader full of driveway gravel (limestone here) and apply and pack it if I need to when the chance/need arises.

Before

After

 

[Apple Junkie]

Boy, what a difference! Looks good and I think the gravel base will allow for better drainage. Nice job.

 

[trampledbyturtles]

^ looks great.

Any thought into putting down some heavy rates of seed like barley or rye to try to get some roots going to increase infiltration rates?

Was thinking barley primarily due to its salt tolerance.

 

[j-bird]

^ looks great.

Any thought into putting down some heavy rates of seed like barley or rye to try to get some roots going to increase infiltration rates?

Was thinking barley primarily due to its salt tolerance.

No....this location will be pretty shaded once the trees leaf out....so any seed I would put down won't really do much good....plus like you mentioned the salt I think would be an issue. My intent will be to monitor how it does and just stay on top of it if I can. If it gets to be an issue I'll come up with a different plan. The bad thing is that I don't have a means to drain the water away.... Time will tell. I just felt I had to do something.

 

[Rit]

Why not just move it?

 

[willy]

Congrats on all the most deer you've had at that site. I think you did a great job remedying the situation. Good idea. Hope all those remember where the good stuff is and keep coming around.

 

[Someday isle]

I think you did a nice job remedying your particular situation. I also think it highlights why many areas, including my county in Missouri, have banned mineral sights. I’m not saying I agree with it or not, I don’t really know the science behind it, but it shows exactly what it is they’re trying to stop from happening. I was initially disappointed by the idea of being told we couldn’t have mineral sights but I don’t have them anymore. It’s been a while since they were active.

 

[Rit]

I think you did a nice job remedying your particular situation. I also think it highlights why many areas, including my county in Missouri, have banned mineral sights. I’m not saying I agree with it or not, I don’t really know the science behind it, but it shows exactly what it is they’re trying to stop from happening. I was initially disappointed by the idea of being told we couldn’t have mineral sights but I don’t have them anymore. It’s been a while since they were active.

I wish Ohio would ban minerals and baiting.

 

[j-bird]

Why not just move it?

The salt is soaked into the stump. The deer will still frequent the area as long as the stump is there and make the mess worse. If my "fix" doesn't work....I may need to find a different location.

 

[Catscratch]

Did something very similar today jbird! Deer love this waterhole but it had a shallow flat on one end that I fear was good for biting midges.. Filled it with gravel. Next I'll take a bucket and straighten the walls to vertical.

 

[Jordan Selsor]

I found 2 deer dead in my creek this summer. Literally both a stones throw of my old mineral lick which looks about like yours. One was a nice buck. Makes me feel uneasy. Will likely fill it in all together in the near future

 

[j-bird]

My own thought process was simple.....if I'm going to use a mineral site....I simply need to try to take care of it. This is more for my own piece of mind than anything else. I have no evidence or the like that says these are a source of the problem. I don't want to concern anyone about this. I was simply asking if others had similar concerns and what they did about it. I simply try to minimize the standing water with a little work. I think natural sources of water are an important aspect of our habitat for critters other than deer and we need to keep that in mind as well. I just know the EHD was once unheard of here and it has had a few outbreaks here now and seems to be more and more common now...for whatever reason.