Hard water...could it be a good calcium suppliment for antler growth??

[KactusKiller]

We have a lease in coke county and our well water is extremely hard, like it almost comes out in clumps. It has alot of gyp mineral in it. Since gyp is primarily Calcium Sulfate would it aid in antler development? We don't have alot of ground water on our place so we have been adding water stations at some of out feeder sites. It leaves alot of mineral deposits anywhere it dries.

On another note, the water in the troughs tends to stink really bad or when left in storage tanks like your fresh water tank in camper. What is the best additive to keep it fresh when it's really "organic"?

[flywise]

Now that is a great question.
i have no idea what the answer might be but a good question.

[KactusKiller]

We were dealing with water issues this weekend and it just kind of stuck in my mind. Looked up Gyp rock and found out its primary make up is Calcium Sulphate which I believe is the main make up for alot of mineral suppliments.

[KactusKiller]

I guess nobody has thought about it or I'm so far off it's stupid.

[flywise]

I guess nobody has thought about it or I'm so far off it's stupid.

I don't think its stupid, and might as well give it a try. they will either eat it of leave it alone. Either way your not out anything

[KactusKiller]

Well we don't have a choice, the water is super hard and that's all we have to supply them with.
Was just curious if anyone have ever heard of any studies or stories of a hard water supply helping produce bigger antlers than a "soft" water supply that doesn't have the high amount of calcium mineral in it.

[SB09]

That is a really good question. One I've never heard or thought about. I see a whole new product market here if it's true. I wouldn't dare try and comment one way or the other because I'm nowhere near qualified enough. But, I'm interested to hear the replies.

[treestand]

From what I've read, deer can usually get all the calcium they need from their normal diet. It's usually protein that limits antler growth, all else (genetics and age) being equal. That said, with your hard water we can be pretty sure they are getting plenty of calcium!

[Todd-ty729]

It will give the deer kidney stones!


I like putting some cheap bourbon in the water. Makes the deer lazy and careless.

[Archery1st]

I don't think it's stupid...as I asked a very similar question to Macy Ledbetter Wildlife Biologist. His answer was he has not seen anything that you could add to water that he could qualify or quantify as a supplement.

If Coke County is known for hard water and the deposit were to act as a supplement. One would think it would be more well known for large whitetails.

[KactusKiller]

They probably do get most of what their "body" needs from their diet but their antlers I would think would use all that is available when growing, SO I would think that the more the merrier!

[wtx223]

Water with too high of PH has a negative effect on antler growth and is negative for antler growth as well as livestock. It blocks other minerals and vitamins from being absorbed.

That is basically what our neighbors ranch manager told me. Been a few years ago, but they have over half a million acres and manage the heck out of the wildlife. This is all from memory. Will get more info from him. High PH and hard water usually related.

[KactusKiller]

I don't think it's stupid...as I asked a very similar question to Macy Ledbetter Wildlife Biologist. His answer was he has not seen anything that you could add to water that he could qualify or quantify as a supplement.

If Coke County is known for hard water and the deposit were to act as a supplement. One would think it would be more well known for large whitetails.

I don't think the county as a whole has hard water. Not all the wells on our place are like this just this particular well. There is some other wells that the owner has drilled for future use that he said had good water but they aren't plumbed with a pump.
We are on the coke/nolan/mitchell co line. The problem with alot of Coke co not having big whitetails is that most leases are over crowded and there is not enough management letting deer get old.

I grew up in SE Fisher Co. Our water was extremely hard because of the high amount of gyp in the soil. That area, while it didn't have high numbers, grew some really big deer. The bucks carried alot of mass. If the soil has high concentrations of gypsum I would thing that it would also carry to the natural vegetation as well as the water.

Just some theories i'm throwing against the wall to see if it sticks.

[KactusKiller]

Water with too high of PH has a negative effect on antler growth and is negative for antler growth as well as livestock. It blocks other minerals and vitamins from being absorbed.

That is basically what our neighbors ranch manager told me. Been a few years ago, but they have over half a million acres and manage the heck out of the wildlife. This is all from memory. Will get more info from him. High PH and hard water usually related.

Good info. I am going to do some digging on this. I dang sure don't want to hinder antler growth. But is less than perfect quality water better than no water? We have very little water available to alot of our place. And the deer numbers show in areas where we have consistent ground water. This is mainly on our west side. WE have large mountain that divides the ranch in half basically. The east side has noticeably lower numbers.

[Smart]

Good info. I am going to do some digging on this. I dang sure don't want to hinder antler growth. But is less than perfect quality water better than no water?.

Of course it is....you only have to look at drought conditions to answer that..