Fresh Water ? Swamp Water ?

[Swampthing]

This proably a no-brainer but is there any desire for these bucks to seek out a fresh of flowing water source other than the swamp water they have all around them.Is the ankle deep ,knee deep swamp water too stagnent or is it all the same to the deer.Are they gonna travel any distance for a more desireable water source,say a spring or a creek or whatever ?

[dan]

My opinion is that the swamp water is good enough... I hunt a lot near rivers and streams that run thru the swamps and watch the deer get up and head away from the creek and stop and drink in the swamp occasionally.

[dreaming bucks]

I read somewhere a lot of deer don't like running streams or creeks because of the noise factor.. they can't hear predators coming with the sounds of the stream running... so therefor, they prefer to drink out of a still waterhole (preferably mine)... I don't know how much truth is in that, but it kinda makes sense..

[Black Squirrel]

I've heard the noise thing too, and it makes sense. I have also heard that they get more nutrients/minerals in stagnant water. Don't know how much truth there is to that, though, cause I can't remember where I heard it.

[dan]

Drinking stagnant water is what causes blue tongue... The drink the fly larvae in the water.

[dreaming bucks]

Dan...
Is Blue tongue common around here in Wisconsin ? I guess I don't really know anything about it..

[dan]

Dan...
Is Blue tongue common around here in Wisconsin ? I guess I don't really know anything about it..

Farther south.. Central Illinois gets a lot of it. I think we could get some cases in Southern Wisconsin, but typically a warmer climate.

[dan]

Did a google search:

Epizootic hemorrhagic disease or blue tongue is affecting whitetail deer herds in several states now. On the list are Virginia, West Virginia, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois and now New Jersey. There may be more.

I don't know how accurate that list is, because I have heard of outbreaks in Iowa and Missouri.

[dan]

BLUE TONGUE OUTBREAK

7 years ago portions of Missouri experienced and exposed the herd to a disease called “bluetongue.” Blue tongue is defined as follows:
Bluetongue is a non-contagious, athropod-borne viral disease of both domestic and wild ruminants. Bluetongue virus (BTV) is endemic in some areas with cattle and wild ruminants serving as reservoirs for the virus. Epizootics of Bluetongue virus killing approximately 179,000 sheep within 4 months have threatened the livestock industry in recent years. For this reason, regulatory veterinarians have heightened their interest in this devastating disease.
The threat of decreased trade associated with Bluetongue outbreaks has become an even bigger threat to the livestock industry than the actual disease itself. According to Kahrs, “bluetongue is a major obstacle to exportation of U.S. ruminants and ruminant products and probably affects the United States more than most countries.” This is because of the prevalence of BTV in conjunction with competent vectors within the U.S., vague surveillance and reporting policies, and extensive BTV research emanating from U.S. laboratories.
Bluetongue is an orbivirus which cross-reacts with many antigenically related viruses including Palyam virus and the viruses that cause epizootic hemorrhagic disease of deer and African Horse sickness. Bluetongue virus replicates in both arthropod and mammalian host cells. The virulence of BTV varies quite markedly; even strains with matching serotypes have variable virulence. A total of 25 serotypes have been identified worldwide with only 5 recognized within the United States.
Due to a bluetongue outbreak there are parts of Missouri that are still recovering from the mishap. Be sure and choose an outfitter that is North of Highway 36 near Macon, Missouri and East of Highway 63. This is the reason you need an outfitter to pursue trophy whitetails in Missouri. There are portions of the state that to the naked eye look to be a whitetail hunting paradise however they are poor.