Noticed that the once abundant quail nearly disappered at one of our places despite the fact that they are not hunted there. I started asking folks why. Turns out that much of the deer corn is infected with a fungus called aflatoxin. Aflatoxin is a known quail killer. Corn containing in excess of 20 parts per billion of aflatoxin cannot be legally fed to cattle. So it ends up as deer corn.
We have switched to using black eyed peas exclusively at that place. We buy blackeyed peas by the ton and they are cheaper than corn. We will use blackeyed peas at our other places as soon as we have something to store it in there.
A good article on the subject:
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/outdoors/stories/020710dnsposassercol.3b0db39.html
The poison that Cox refers to is aflatoxin, a substance produced by fungi that grow on corn and other food staples. Aflatoxin rates in wildlife corn caused a stir in the 1990s when biologists became concerned about potential damage to deer and other wildlife.
The U.S.
Food and Drug Administration does not allow grain that tests more than 20 parts per billion of aflatoxin to be fed to dairy cattle or used for human consumption. It winds up as wildlife feed. Several studies have indicated aflatoxin can weaken and even kill wildlife.
West Texas quail guru Dale Rollins said he's more concerned with secondary effects of aflatoxin. Diminished immunity means the birds are more susceptible to disease. Feeding the birds tends to congregate them, so disease spreads more quickly.