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BSK

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I could never figure out why deer use of salt didn't fit what I expected to see. When it's hot and dry, I expected to see deer use salt much more than when it's cool and wet. Yet I often find just the opposite--deer hit the salt licks hardest in summer when we're getting a lot of rain.

Why would that be? For humans, when we get hot we sweat, lose salt through our sweat, and need more salt. Why wouldn't deer be the same way?

Turns out, when it is very wet, plants soak up the water, deer eat the plants that are loaded with water, and then need to get rid of the excess water through urination (the can't sweat away water like we can). They do this by using salts in their kidneys to draw water out of their bloodstream (salt is hydroscopic--attracts water). So during wet weather deer need more salt to get rid of all the extra water in their diet, hence hit salt licks more frequently. During dry periods, deer harbor the water in their bodies, not knowing when the next water will be available, hence avoid extra salts.

So that's why many people couldn't get deer to their salt licks during the record drought in August of '07.
 
Interesting, I noticed lately in our dry spell the Deer avoid the salt lick also and I have a cam up but also have a corn pile next to the salt. They have not touched the salt but tear the corn up. I was expecting them to use the salt and now this makes sense.
Good info. Thanks
 
I have noticed the same thing. I know alot of people that always told me, "the hotter and dryer it is, the more they hit the salt." Though, I always saw the exact opposite. The more wet it was, the more deer activity I would see at our licks, I just didnt say anything. I assumed it was just our deer herd. Thanks for bringing this to light
 
BSK said:
I could never figure out why deer use of salt didn't fit what I expected to see. When it's hot and dry, I expected to see deer use salt much more than when it's cool and wet. Yet I often find just the opposite--deer hit the salt licks hardest in summer when we're getting a lot of rain.

Why would that be? For humans, when we get hot we sweat, lose salt through our sweat, and need more salt. Why wouldn't deer be the same way?

Turns out, when it is very wet, plants soak up the water, deer eat the plants that are loaded with water, and then need to get rid of the excess water through urination (the can't sweat away water like we can). They do this by using salts in their kidneys to draw water out of their bloodstream (salt is hydroscopic--attracts water). So during wet weather deer need more salt to get rid of all the extra water in their diet, hence hit salt licks more frequently. During dry periods, deer harbor the water in their bodies, not knowing when the next water will be available, hence avoid extra salts.

So that's why many people couldn't get deer to their salt licks during the record drought in August of '07.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. I've often wandered the same thing. Pics. quadruple after our area gets some rain.
 
gil1 said:
Did you get that from a seminar at the Expo?
Click to expand...

Yes, I got it from Grant's talk. Later, in a private conversation, I asked him about it and we had a long discussion about the biology of the process.
 

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