EDITOR'S NOTE: David R. Fuhr of Winigan, Missouri, a research chemist with Fuhr Research Laboratories, has developed Vita-Rack 26, a vitamin and mineral supplement for deer that Hunter's Specialties handles.
QUESTION: Many outdoorsmen may say that you're baiting deer by putting these minerals on the ground. How do you respond?
ANSWER: Actually, we're not baiting deer. You'll find that if a product is ingested by the deer, then that product isn't a bait. It may have an attractant aspect to it. The deer will typically seek out minerals that they need. There's a tremendous difference between food baiting and a mineral being natural on the ground. We're attempting to emulate what a deer may find in a wild environment.
QUESTION: Why do deer return to this product?
ANSWER: We find that the deer have a natural craving for this product that the deer realize their bodies need. It's similar to being sick and having odd cravings for foods you don't normally eat. We've found that 92 percent of blood has a sodium content in it, and the deer have to have sodium. The deer seek out things with sodium in it. They can get the vitamins in the wild under the most-optimal conditions. Unfortunately, we know that deer most likely can't find these vitamins in the wild. Other than taking a chance and hoping the deer locate these vitamins and minerals in the wild, we make sure they find them in our product. If they don't need something, their systems will flush the product out anyway.
QUESTION: How often will deer seek out the minerals in Vita-Rack 26?
ANSWER: We did something unique in the calcium and phosphorus levels of Vita-Rack 26. Most minerals combinations on the market had a pretty high amount of calcium and phosphorus. We found in our research that with these levels of calcium and phosphorus that the deer's visit frequency was weekly, and their consumption level wasn't high. We tried to figure out the way to get the maximum benefit for the deer from the Vita-Rack 26. So, we dropped the calcium and phosphorus levels, and the deer frequented the Vita-Rack 26 almost daily.
For more information you can e-mail David R. Fuhr at davefuhr@nemr.net.