Salt licks/Mineral licks

[redwing]

I'm looking at putting some salt licks and mineral licks out soon to start getting some pictures this spring. I'm just wondering what you guys use and what works the best for spring/summer. I'd like to see what's in the woods for next season. Thanks guys!

[wtnhunt]

Lot of options and most of them do work just fine in most places. Best results we have had have been from trophy rocks, deer cain also works well, so do the plain red trace mineral blocks that come from feed stores and coops. Loose minerals you mix on your own work well too, there has been a recipe posted here, will see if I can dig it up if you are interested in mixing your own.

[Widowmaker]

What you need is 1- 50lb bag of fine stock salt

1- 50lb bag of trace mineral salt

1- 50lb bag of dicalcium phosphate

You will need to mix 1 part salt, 2 parts trace mineral, and 1 part di-cal phosphate. 200 lbs of mixture for around $35.00. I just put mine out two days ago. Hope this helps!

[Ethan Givan]

I just buy the 50 lb salt block that are made for cattle. I have been putting one out in the same spot every year now for 5 or 6 years and the deer really hit it hard in the summer. I got close to 100 pics a night this last summer over the salt block.

[JimT]

I use a trophy rock..... Works great!!!

[toddyboman]

biggest and best thing to do is get the MINERAL out NOW! And keep your mineral spot going and supplied with mineral year around.

[redwing]

Thanks guys!

I appreciate the info, i bought a couple bags of the deer cain, and i saw they had the other stuff too, i'll let you know how it goes. Thanks again!

[hunterbobb]

I've been using the red trace mineral blocks from feed stores now for about six years. One good thing about it is because of the color it blends into the backround. The white salt blocks can be seen from half a mile away.

The deer even eat the dirt around where the block has been sitting. I have great big trenches now where I set my mineral blocks out.

:gun2:

[wtnhunt]

I've been using the red trace mineral blocks from feed stores now for about six years. One good thing about it is because of the color it blends into the backround. The white salt blocks can be seen from half a mile away.

The deer even eat the dirt around where the block has been sitting. I have great big trenches now where I set my mineral blocks out.

:gun2:

Good point and remember that you really would not want the white salt blocks. Goal is to get the deer to get vital minerals that they are not getting from their diet, not to get them eating salt.

The deer cain works well. Have heard it argued about the use of minerals by deer in the winter, people can think what they want, me I have kept minerals running year round for several years. When you have a deer density that is suggested to be around 15 deer per sq mile and you get 8 or more does regularly coming in on a mineral site in the winter months like February it kind of tells you something.

And yes they eat the dirt that has minerals in it long after what you see of the block you put down is gone.

This site was originally established around 2000 or 2001, started with deer cain and was just a little area not much bigger around than a 5 gallon bucket. The deer actually have a fairly deep depression in the ground leading to it.

View from another angle of the same mineral site. Buck had followed a late coming in hot young doe out of the minerals, this was December 11th of 2009.

[Rhino]

By the book it's recommended that the salt content of your mineral salt shouldn't be more than 30%.

The do it yourself mix that's been posted in here before was this:

1 part - Di-calcium Phosphate

1 part - Hy-phos

1 part - Trace Mineral Salt

Optional - 1 bag - Kandy Kid Stockade Dried Molasses

We just finished putting ours out this past weekend (without the optional dried molasses).

Edited March 10, 2010 by Rhino

[redwing]

O.K. here's what i did:

Let me know if i did it right o.k.? I went out in the woods today with 2 bags of Deer Cain, and 1 bag of Black Magic Deer Cain. I took a hoe(garden tool, not chick) and raked away all of the leaves and foliage in 2 spots about 4ft. X4ft. I then went to the creek about 40 yards away and got water and mixed it with the 2 bags of Deer Cane and spread it out over one 4X4 area. I then took the black magic and spread it out evenly over the other 4X4 area and just left it be. I then took 1/2 bucket of C'mere Deer and put it in the middle so they find it easier. What do you guys think? When should i expect to start seeing some action on it?

[Wobbly_Alaska]

By the book it's recommended that the salt content of your mineral salt shouldn't be more than 30%.

The do it yourself mix that's been posted in here before was this:

1 part - Di-calcium Phosphate

1 part - Hy-phos

1 part - Trace Mineral Salt

Optional - 1 bag - Kandy Kid Stockade Dried Molasses

We just finished putting ours out this past weekend (without the optional dried molasses).

so curious... where do you pick up that shopping list? i cant even begin to think of a local place up here i could get it.. or is there a common name i am missing?

i may try to put a mineral lick out on my claim... but it will have to be gone by sept... as up here thats baiting... but i do have permission to fertilize and promote browse growth for moose...

[RangerClay]

I use a trophy rock..... Works great!!!

+1 ... Not that I would know. salt licks are a no no in NY.

[wtnhunt]

so curious... where do you pick up that shopping list? i cant even begin to think of a local place up here i could get it.. or is there a common name i am missing?

i may try to put a mineral lick out on my claim... but it will have to be gone by sept... as up here thats baiting... but i do have permission to fertilize and promote browse growth for moose...

Farm and feed stores carry these items for livestock in these parts.

[BearClaw]

Ditto on the red trace ineral blocks from Tractor Supply. Deer hit them hard all summer and fall. I've got lots of pics! Work great-low price!!!

[JimT]

Here is a pic of the Trophy Rock in action...If you look closely you can see the stump is totally chewed. Late last summer it was level with the ground.

[redwing]

thanks Jim!

[NC8point]

deer cain works really well here i have a bout a three foot hole from it

[Chrud]

I've had really good luck with liquid Deer Cane. I also put a block, or solid mineral at the mineral site. I've had pretty good luck with both the Trophy Rock and the small Deer Cane block.

[redwing]

Thanks Chrud

I'll give the blocks a try when i freshen the site in April.

[ildrhntr]

No longer allowed here but I used to use purina trophy rack mineral.

[Jim Kocielko]

As many of the others have already stated, basic salt blocks from your local farm supply store have always worked great for us in Indiana.

Jim Kocielko

Elkhart County Outdoorsman

[BearClaw]

I just bought two trace mineral blocks from Tractor Supply today for $5.49 each (50 lbs each). Like I said in an earlier post, the deer in our area really hit them all spring, summer and part of the fall.

[Ultradog]

An old timer told me once that if the deer ate all the salt that everyone puts out for them they would be jerky before you even shot them.

[Pike]

Over the years I have tried every type of rock,block, homemade recipe, lick etc. and nothing works any better than the 50 lb. generic blocks/ bags that you can buy at your local TSC or feed store for $5.00 each. And since mineral supplements do not benefit deer in any way other than providing them with a source of salt there is no need to waste money buying a commercial mineral supplement with a huge buck on the package or time and running all over town shopping for ingredients then mixing them etc. when you can just go to your local feed store and buy 50 lb. blocks for less money. Pike