Salt Blocks part 2....

[toddyboman]

Why do we put out salt for deer????

Is there really much nutritional value from the salt for the deer??

I personally put out a mineral only supplement......I do NOT put out hardly any salt...

and here is my reason why...

First I put it out the mineral solely for the nutritional reasons.....I want all the deer to be healthier and the bucks to grow bigger antlers so.....

I do not put salt because I don't think it helps much nutritionally. What is the FIRST thing you want after eating something salty.........A big drink of water. After that big drink your belly is full and you are NOT as hungry now.....

I think the same holds true with deer......they take in all this salt and then are really thirsty......they go get their big drink of water and now their belly is full of water and they are done eating my mineral or in my food plots...so they are not getting the fullest amount of nutrition they can.

Does anyone else think this way.....or am I just crazy....(wait some of you don't need to answer that:D)

[wtnhunt]

I never put out plain salt Todd. Always either mineral attractants such as deer cain, trophy rocks, or trace mineral blocks. Salt alone really is not good for deer. I have mixed my own minerals before, used dical phosphate and loose trace minerals, still no straight nacl.

[rhine16]

Never put out salt nor salt blocks, though I'm thinking about putting out a few blocks at camera sites.

[Jorden]

We dont put out salt anymore, the only reason we used to is for pictures and seeing what deer we have around. Now we mix our own minerals for nutritional purposes and it seems to work well.

[dogdoc]

minerals alone taste nasty---adding the salt makes it more palatable. I too never put out pure salt. What's funny though is the deer knows when they need it. I get practically NO activity on mineral stations during the winter but when things start to green up they really hit the blocks hard.

[toddyboman]

minerals alone taste nasty---adding the salt makes it more palatable. I too never put out pure salt. What's funny though is the deer knows when they need it. I get practically NO activity on mineral stations during the winter but when things start to green up they really hit the blocks hard.

All of that is very true and I agree 100%!!

I have noticed as soon as bucks start to drop their antlers the mineral will start to get hit. Of course the does need it for the fawns.

[slughunter]

Salt doesnt really provide anything for the deer. The reason why we would put it out is for veiwing purposes. We would put it out on the other end of the feild from my house and watch the deer during breakfast or dinner. Pretty nice to be able to watch them and not have to worry about taking a shot, lol.

-shane

[ousoonerfan22]

I don't think salt will keep the deer from eating because if you think about it the ranchers keep salt in front of their cattle and it doesn't stop them from adding weight.

[toddyboman]

I don't think salt will keep the deer from eating because if you think about it the ranchers keep salt in front of their cattle and it doesn't stop them from adding weight.

I don't think its the salt that will stop them from eating but after that salty snack deer will want a big drink of water....and the belly full of water is going to slow down their food consumption for a bit.