Drench Pit for EHD Control

Has anyone built one of these or tried to use drench pit to apply midge and fly repellents on your deer. The pit would be concrete approximately 8' long 3'wide and 4' deep in the ground in a common pinch point area such as a gateway between food and water etc where my deer would normally transition through daily. Deer could be easily trained to swim through just water initially and then once they have been acclimated repellent ingredients could be added. I wonder if a garlic oil and mineral oil mixture could be blended and used. Maybe the bottom of the pit approximately 3/4 could or would??? stay water and the top 1/4 stay the garlic oil mixture for repellent. A water based repellent might be a better option? I think this could be more effective, less invasive,and less stressful than spraying chemical insecticides or using rope wicks etc.in addition there would be much less maintenance than mechanical spraying and misting systems. I have seen something of this sort used on my father in laws dairy the cows walked in to treat their feet.

I am considering building a couple of these pits on our farm. I would like to read suggestions on safe repellent ingredients that could be used or other additional helpful suggestions or modifications to make it work. The deer will be passing through the pit and drenching, bathing,or dipping themselves each time they pass through and submerge themselves in the repellent mixture. I have some 10 acre breeding pens and I don't want to pay for or maintain a mechanical misting system. If someone thinks it would be a waste of time or that it's a bad idea I would also value your input. Thanks,

Jonathan

Zane,

Thanks for the input. Frankly, I was a little discouraged about trying this. I haven't figured out what I could mix for the bath. I am afraid if they passed through it several times per day some drenches could be overdosed at toxic levels. The garlic and mineral oil mix was suggested because it would stay on their hair and antlers all day and would not be toxic. It would get expensive keeping the pit near full of all mineral oil that is why I suggested the pit could be filled 3/4 with water and the mineral oil garlic /oil mixture pour on top. I am still pondering the concept. We have the midges every summer but generally the EHD virus doesn't show up till mid-late summer. By this time my fawns would be old enough their would be little chance of them drowning.

The midges if in the area are going to fly in or blow in and bight deer when the sprayers are off. Spray tips clog up in systems. Pumps wear out etc. The insecticides are sprayed into the air. Then they fall to the ground or blow away and quickly degrade and are gone. As a farmer I like things that require the least time and maintenance. I thought maybe the drench pit concept might offer some additional advantages like lowering wasted maintenance time and repellant products.

Remi,

Good question. I've pondered that a bit myself. The pit would have to be drained regularly an so an inexpensive repellant/ water mixture is probably all that would work. During EHD season it is usually dry so the deer would not be carrying as much grime on their hooves. They don't cart the volume of mud on their feet and legs that cows do anytime. A gravel buffer leading up to the pit would clean a lot of dust and grime from their hooves before they enter the pit. It could also be kept dry with the drain open when not in use.