What do we need to know about salt licks?

Factual Questions
1

So we just did the Green Acre thing, moving an hour or so outside the city. It’s an adjustment, but one we’re loving. Our home sits in the middle of five acres, completely wooded in the back, with deer fencing protecting the front perennial gardens (about two or so acres). Among other things, (ooh! Pileated Woodpeckers!) we see deer traipsing through the woods beyond the fence in the front, and in the wood behind. Since we have the protected gardens in the front, we want to leave the back lawn and surrounding woods relatively natural (there’s a lot of mountain laurel to add color), so we aren’t worried about deer damage.

But we are worried about a few things. First, I know enough about ecology to know not to put food out for the deer. But what about a salt lick? From what I’ve seen so far on the net (mostly hunting oriented sites) salt licks are good for deer, but the sites make no mention of the possibility of monkeying with their habitat. WWPD? Ok, so forget what PETA would do, are there any ecological/ethical implications to putting out a salt lick to attract a few deer?

Second, what about our neighbors? We’re at the end of a cul-de-sac, and it seems like everyone here has about the same amount of acreage. In walking around the property, it also seems like everyone’s got No Hunting signs posted. Will a salt lick attract so many deer to the area that our new neighbors will hate us?

Lastly, besides putting it in a stump and taking pictures, is there anything else we should know about them beforehand?
Thanks!

Rhythm

(I put this in GQ because I’m asking about the existence of ecological and ethical questions, not looking to debate them. My apologies if I chose wrongly.)

2

Anything that causes deer to congregate is a hazard for the spread of tuberculosis among deer, and then between deer and cattle. Please don’t.

3

You should probably know what your state’s department concerned with fish and game thinks about it. Try asking them.

4

You’re also likely to find that, once their natural grazing paths are rerouted to include a trip to your back-yard, their vegetation will become scarcer in the area around your home. Your “deer proof” front gardens will then become a salad bar.

5

[yoda]
Salt licks lead to congregation… congregation leads to tuberculosis… tuberculosis leads to anger…

Thought there might be some reason not to put one out. Oh well, they come close enough as it is, we’ll just get friendly with zoom.
Rhythm
Come on and ZOOM ZOOM ZOOMA ZOOM…
(zoom) (zoom) (zoom)
ZOOMA ZOOMA ZOOMA ZOOM
Zoom, ZOOM ZOOM!
Everybody!
ZOOM ZOOM ZOOMA ZOOM…
(zoom) (zoom)
ZOOMA ZOOMA ZOOMA ZOOM

6

We live on 15 acres. Lots of deer around here. And I occasionally hunt deer on our land.

A few years ago I placed a big block of salt along a heavily-traveled deer path. Based on the prints, there was a lot of activity around the salt block. My plan was to use the salt block as bait and hunt over it, but for whatever reason I never did.

I’m not sure why there would be any ecological or moral implications to putting a salt block in the woods.

7

My New York State Hunting Guide, that gets handed to you when you purchase a big game hunting licence, states the following.

‘It is unlawful to make, set, or use a salt lick on land inhabited by deer or bear’.

I have run into many NYS Conservation cops, and your reason for setting one out ain’t gonna wash. It’s a no-no.

8

A salt block on your back lot would certainly attract deer and worse induce them to stick around. All of these additional deer hanging around longer or more often would certainly want more browse and water than the local deer are taking. Not only does your protected garden become a salad bar, all of your neighbors’ trees, lawns and gardens become the main course. Your neighbors are going to be unhappy and so are you. One or two White Tails is lovely. A hundred of them is a nuisance.

One answer is what a friend use to do. He knew that this neighbor was putting out salt blocks to shoot over. This was generally regarded as unsporting if not down right unlawful. Each fall my friend and a select group of friends hiked into the wooded river bluffs where salt blocks were thought to be, found them and copiously pee’d on them in the quiet confidence that no deer would come within 100 yards of the now highly human urine scented salt blocks. Bud Light works well for this.

You might find your neighbors buying an unusually large quantity of beer and not inviting you to the party

9

Thanks for the Bud Light tip. Will pass it on to desperate but all too sober member of the family.

Once you entice deer into an area, they have a habit of dashing in front of your vehicle and causing accidents and major damage – even to loved ones.

Believe me, I am still in awe when deer come into the neighborhood. But I wouldn’t do anything to encourage it.

10

Did you say deer fencing around your garden? Let me tell you about a test the Indiana Dept. of Natural Resources did.

The DNR guys fenced off two 40’ x 40’ areas in a State park that was known to be overpopulated by deer. Both areas had 8-foot fence, but one also was fenced in on the top. At the end of the summer, the open topped pen was nibbled down to the ground, just like every other part of the park. The closed-topped pen had grown waist high. This proved the point the DNR wanted to make, that the one pen was denuded by only critters that could jump an 8-foot fence. It also proved that deer can leap over an 8-foot fence.

11

Illinois and Michigan both say that too. But Crafter_Man is from Ohio, and it appears it ain’t illegal there.* See

http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/regs/deer.htm

Search the site for “bait hunt” and you’ll find it’s illegal to hunt over bait for certain birds, but the Ohio regs appear to be silent on mammals.

  • While I am a lawyer, this is not intended as definitive legal advice; I could not find any Ohio law prohibiting deer hunting over bait, but I make no guarantees that it isn’t out there somewhere.