That’s not a clock, it’s the never-ending problem of biting insects.
QUESTION: Hi from Elizabethtown, Kentucky! Attached are trail cam pictures of a doe covered with ticks. I have not seen her on the hoof to see her behavior. I have not seen a fawn with her. No other deer I have seen have this problem. Two questions: 1. Will she be okay to eat, let’s say in early bow season (September) when it is still warm? 2. Is there a “rub” I could make, similar to what cattle farmers use for flies, which deer could use?
ANSWER: While it’s not at all unusual for deer to carry ticks, this one seems to have a particularly bad infestation. Possible reasons might include a bad tick year or poor health of the individual deer, although the one pictured doesn’t appear to be in particularly bad shape. I see no reason why this deer would not be palatable if harvested. I might suggest you hang it outside, or over a tarp for several days before processing since most ectoparasites will leave a dead host within 24 hours.
As for making a rub, there are options. Years ago I saw a USDA pamphlet that included plans, and I expect you could modify those used by cattle farmers as well, although I’m not sure how effective they are as deer are probably less inclined to contact them. More importantly, you should be careful about what you treat the host with. I believe ivermectin is the most common pesticide used in cattle rubs, and there are some FDA guidelines on consumption of animals that have been exposed to it.
— Recent Ask the Biologist Question: We’re Having Twins! If does could talk, you’d hear that a lot. Find Out The Answer!