There is no end to hunters lies and hypocrisy. Hunters tell non-hunters not to feed Deer because of risk of spreading wildlife disease especially Chronic Wasting Diseases yet they themselves feed them "deer supplements" just like you see in the photos and what are purpose of this "deer supplements"? To make the antlers grow, for deer herd size and more fawn birth.
Before we begin , what is Chronic Wasting Disease?
"Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a transmissible neurological disease of of deer and elk that produces small lesions in brains of infected animals. "It is characterized by loss of body condition, behavioral abnormalities and death. CWD is classified as a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE), and is similar to mad cow disease in cattle"
What do many "deer manager" say about supplement feeding?
"Deer managers agree that supplemental feeding, whether it be protein pellets, whole cotton seed, or some other type of high-protein food, really helps local deer populations."
"Individual deer health is important for maintaining body mass, promoting maximum antler growth in bucks, and optimal milk production in does."
"Managing for proper nutrition in white-tailed deer is important for good body condition, good fawn production and recruitment, and maximum antler growth. Good nutrition can be accomplished by doing three things that involve proper habitat management, supplemental feeding, and the planting of food plots."
One website called "Buck management" Rationalize that its "ok" for them to supplement feed deer and risk CWD spread with this lame excuses.
"One thing to keep in mind: Deer are likely to concetrate somewhere - whether it be a water source, food source, bedding area, or travel corridor. Although providing supplemental food will concetrate deer, I suspect that if a disease or virus is present the pathogen will be passed on regardless of whether or not you provide supplemental feed."
P.129 "With supplemental feeding, it becomes very easy to maitain artificialy high deer densities and still obtain adequate results in terms of antler and body growth." Producing Quality Whitetails Revised Edition
Al Brothers and Murphy E. Ray, Jr.
Edited by Charly McTee
CWD was first spread by supplement feeding rendered animals for protein (antler and herd growth) . Comments about CWD from From Organic Consumer Association.
"As you can see by reading this article [below] in this afternoon's Capital Times of Madison, word is slowly leaking out about what has apparently been a massive decade-long feeding of "supplements" (including meat and bone meal as mineral and protein) to wild deer in the heart of the "kill zone," the area of the WI Chronic Wasting Disease outbreak.
Apparently no one in the CWD research community has ever investigated the possibility that CWD may be spreading via rendered feed (mineral, fat and protein supplements), as happened in Britain with mad cow disease. This needs to be investigated immediately as a possible third means of infection for CWD, along with suspected animal-to-animal transmission and environmental contamination.
As you can see from the excerpts of two books below on feeding wild deer, there has been a huge push over the past 10-15 years of supplemental feeding of both game farmed elk and deer and wild deer to grow bigger animals with huge-boned antlers.
Just about every hunting store sells deer feeders and supplement whether for baiting or for deer herd and antler growth just so little men (and women) can kill these beautiful animals for sports and trophy.
CWD is now in 14 states plus 2 Canadian Province
Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York (only from CWD containment area), Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah, West Virginia (only from Hampshire County), Wisconsin and Wyoming; as well as the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan.
