Whit Deschner is encouraging everyone to “get your licks in now” for the second annual Great Salt Lick Contest.

The event works like this: enter salt blocks that have been licked into artistic forms and you might win some money.

All entered salt block sculptures will be auctioned Sept. 27 with

proceeds going to the Parkinson Center of Oregon at Oregon Health and

Science University.

Salt lick entries must be submitted by Sept. 18. The blocks can be

delivered to Crossroads Carnegie Art Center, 2020 Auburn Ave., or those

who want a replacement salt lick can take entries to Oregon Trail

Livestock Supply in Baker or Richland Feed and Seed in Richland.

There’s a limit of two per person.

Each entry should include the ranch or person representing the animal, a contact phone number or address, the type of animal that licked the block, name or number of animal (a good name might influence the judging, Deschner says), and the name of the sculpture (again, a good name could help you win).

Here are the rules (remember as you read these that Deschner is quite the humorist):

? All entries must be salt blocks licked by cows, other livestock or wildlife. All block types are eligible (mineral, selenium, etc.)

? Blocks licked by humans will not be permitted, and entries may be subject to DNA testing

? Drawings, photos or paintings of salt blocks will not be accepted

? Cows caught using steroids will be canned, and mad cows “will be eligible for psychiatric treatment.”

All entries – unless you really want the salt lick back – will be on display at Crossroads and auctioned Sept. 27 at 7 p.m.

The salt blocks will be judged for originality and artistic flair. More than $600 in prize money will be awarded.

For more information, e-mail Deschner at whit@saltlickcity.com or call him at 541-893-6403.