Hunting and Biosolids
Virginia
Over the past 10-15 years there has been a drastic decrease in the number of deer and turkeys seen/killed on my lease. During that span, a farm that adjoins my lease has started spreading biosolids on his fields. Other farms close by have also started using them. Could there be a link between the biosolids and decrease in deer and turkeys? Does anyone else hunt near or on a farm that uses biosolids?
"Could there be a link between the biosolids and decrease in deer and turkeys?"
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Good question, but I have not a clue.
"Does anyone else hunt near or on a farm that uses biosolids? "
I am unsure. I think mostly liquid fertilizer is what I see being used.
This much I do know, I used to use it, biosolids, on my yard. Lowes in Fredericksburg used to get it in bags from a company in Maryland, and it was the best stuff that made my yard just green as Ireland. Then Maryland shut them down, around the year 2001 or so.
I have not seen it in bags since. If I do, it is going back on my yard, and to heck with chemicals.
I haven't for years but yes it seems to attract deer and improve overall condition including body mass and antler mass
Thanks for that link Tonyo. I hadn't had much time to research it myself. I found the answer to the question about it being safe kind of peculiar. "As reported in the 2002 National Research Council of the National Academies report, Biosolids Applied to Land: Advancing Standards and Practices, the Council concluded that, “There is no documented scientific evidence that the Part 503 rule has failed to protect public health. However, additional scientific work is needed to reduce persistent uncertainty about the potential for adverse human health effects from exposure to biosolids.” 2002 was a long time ago . You would think there would be more recent studies.
The human waste biosolids I applied to my yard did not smell hardly at all, when compared to pure cow manure.
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My neighbors bad mouth me for weeks when I apply cow manure. LOL ! So I decided to be a good neighbor, and not use cow manure anymore.
The drastic reduction in deer and turkey is likely due to the introduction of the eastern brush wolf/"coyote" during that time frame. Where I hunt herd numbers are down about 90% form 20 years ago.
