You've probably seen the same as i have. They don't move much, They generally stick together and they browse the closest thing to them. Be it corn or anything else. If they're in the middle of a big cedar thicket then thats what they will browse heavily. Out of necessity. Since its not top of their list eating an abundance of that will be a big change to their enzymes.
Think about this also. Let's say there is that much snow on the ground and the deer are not moving much. So you go out and dump some feed out to help them. What happens if you put that feed in an area that is not a good wintering area? Like you said, deer browse. So once they run out of the feed you provided, they are basically in a biological desert. Then they are stuck trying to survive in an area that they other wise would not have attempted to winter in.
And I don't think the state wants to go pushing against local farmers on how they feed their herd. Even if it did become an issue, that is another can of worms all together.
That is true. Food plots do congregate deer to an extent. Think about this though. Let's say you have a 1 acre food plot, not every deer is going to come out and feed in the same 3x3 area of the plot. They will be spread out in different areas. So you do not have a high number of deer in one small little area feeding.
Don't get me wrong. I think the OP was being overly dramatic. No offense. Hunting over bait piles has its advantages and disadvantages. I'm sure he's more upset because the choice was made for him. IMO I agree that concentrating anything to one spot has the potential to cause disease to spread faster. Will cutting out bait piles stop CWD. No. Will it slow it down. Thats a something we'll never know. So I'm not bashing Daryl. I was just stating that saying corn will mess up their digestion isnt a valid argument for his case. Yes there bowels get "looser" or their movements become softer at spring green up, this in part is because of the amount of moisture in the browse. I see this in cattle every year. Green pasture= green runny poop. Dry base feed (Hay, Silage, Haylage.....)= dry clumpy poop. Same for deer.
If the Deer moved to the corn because it was a readily available food source then it ran out. They will move on to the next readily available food source. I don't believe they would just stay there and starve. When people put out corn it is generally in an area that deer live to begin with.
My hunting area, and when I say that I mean zone(s), is usually occupied by both cattle and deer. They live together and co-exist on the same land, eat the same grass, hay, alfalfa, minerals and some other molasses like sticky sweet stuff in giant troughs. The interesting part is the deer may hit a salt lick here and there but it's very few and far between when they do. So far in between I'll add, we don't even set up trail cams or hunt near the licks or molasses stuff. I don't know if it's because deer need far less of it to survive or they just get it naturally through their normal diet. So here's my point, and this may be just for California or other states that don't allow "baiting deer". If deer have access to all food sources and minerals cattle do and is consistently provided by ranchers; why can't I put out the same food deer already have access to all the time? They already have access to it anyway. I know one answer I don't need anyone to say again is to slow down the spread of disease by having large flocks of deer eat on the same dinner plate every night. Not trying to be rude about that but I think it's been emphasized enough. I personally see no issue with putting out a 1/4 bail of alfalfa here and there or any other food source for deer they already have access to anyway. The only explanation I can come up with is state officials want to make it harder for hunters. If you take away the spread of disease as an answer, what else do you have? I'm not discounting the spread of disease as a valid answer, I just want to know what other answers there are. Added / Edited Content below...... I will also add this......... in CA, it's legal to put out ANY feed I want for wild life to include deer. I just can't hunt over it or within 400 yards of the provided food source. So please explain how this is doing anything but not making it harder on the hunter?
In a lot of areas, the area deer winter in can be different from the area they live in most of the year. I agree, I don't think they will stay there and starve. But during hard winters, deer will be concentrated to the feeding areas. This will cause severe over browsing of what natural vegetation is left in that area. So they will eventually be relying solely on the supplemental feed. That's one of the main downfalls of chronic supplemental feeding. Some people take it to extremes and the deer solely rely on that food source. Which is something that no conservationist wants. There are so many points we could go on and on about, which makes for very good conversation. It just ruins these threads when people get over defensive of their positions on different subjects. I love hearing everyone's thoughts and opinions, even if it isn't something I 100% agree with. Especially people from different parts of the country. I do multiple seminars a year on subjects like this, so I really enjoy hearing opinions from everyone.
I simply pointed out that you can not use generic terms and assume how and what is being fed to the deer, as well as saying if you are feeding that you are taking the easy path to deer. Feeding is not the same as baiting, providing mineral benefits all deer as well. It is no different than planting a food plot. It is amazing what Iowa deer have overcome being that the poor things have fed on corn all their lives and yet the herd still thrives.
Same here Daryl. Please don't take offense to anything I said. I believe you have some valid points. It was just the digestive issue that I was commenting towards.
I googled it... But I have no idea what is what. Moose/Daryl please post some links? I just don't get how people get all bent out of shape about feeding and not bat an eye establishing numerous mineral sites on their property (considering they are viewed the same way as Daryl stated). Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
So building a funnel with branches or a fence moves deer thru a specific area that artificially raises the usage of a specific route, heck even leaving a gate open can increase a travel paths usage that could spread disease as well.
As said baiting and mineral sites create concentrations for sick animals. Which is why both are frowned upon if not legalized against where diseases like CWD exist. The prions remain for an unknown periods of time and there is no known way to sanitize the area. Cwd isn't believed to cross over to other animals, but it's similar to Scrapie or BSE. If you're a farmer and you have livestock with these diseases, likely the authorities will not just kill the known infected animals, but rather the whole heard. As for studies, Google them there are a crap load of them available. If you can figure it out, here: Chronic wasting disease - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia If you don't trust Wikipedia, go read the studies cited in the references. If you don't like one states rules, stop your crying and move. But, there are many successful hunters who don't bait...
I'll have to get the links when I have time, tomorrow should be slow. So I will try then. I stated many times that it is CHRONIC feeding that is the problem. If you are using mineral sites for the right reasons, then you do not have them out 24/7, 365.
My original post is in reference to a simple "backyard casual feeding". Not hunting over bait piles and trying to "own" my own herd.
Resources in Wikipedia... Going back to my college days! Totally forgot about the resources linked. Thanks! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
All of you have very interesting points on this topic Daryl Bell you for sure have your facts strait and I agree with you even though I am from NY and yes this state does in so many ways but my dad told me a long time ago feeding animals is for the petting zoo.
Ha that is very true, be alot of what happened out west with standoffs with ranchers. I'm actually not certain it's really a huge occurrence anyway, but it is there available and seems like alot of people overlook that because, imo, they have more of a problem with people baiting because it's not "real" hunting.
