Heavy deer rub activity along this interior path Whether you need to know how to test the soil in your food plot, tighten the groups from your crossbow, or scope out the latest on that big buck you saw online, you've landed around the right campfire. Place the lick in a location that has a lot of natural cover. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Do the math. So why not just use straight salt? We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Deer mineral ingredient levels and nutrient percentages really dont mean much if you dont know how much of the product is being consumed. Have you ever wondered why deer hammer mineral licks in the warm-weather months more than any other time of year? 2001 Mineral Lick Plain Stock Salt - #50 - $4.30. People have used corn, apples, cherries, and salt in a variety of ways to bring deer into an area near a hunting blind or deer stand. If one mineral supplement has 5 percent calcium and another has 7 percent calcium, but the deer consumes twice the amount of the 5 percent product, then the deer is actually getting more calcium than it would be getting from the 7 percent product. The best way to provide supplemental minerals is by using a granular mineral that contains less than 30 percent salt and has Ca and P at the rate of 12 percent each. Arguably, the test might only be representative for the particular deer mineral I was using, and a different mineral with different salt levels or other attractants might have shown a different result. Have you ever traveled through western Kansas? February 24, 2023 |Timber 2 Table Wild Game Recipes, February 22, 2023 |Timber 2 Table Wild Game Recipes. Once youve tagged that big whitetail deer, take a look at some of our most popular venison recipes like our Old School Deer Jerky Recipe or the Delicious Deer Backstrap Crockpot Recipe, What Is A Piebald Deer? Additionally, a homemade deer mineral lick can also include minerals like iron, manganese, and cobalt to provide additional health benefits. Whitetail Institute Mineral for Deer 5. In this edition of "From The Stand," Pat Hogan explains the importance of being aware of proper clearance when using your bow or crossbow out in the field. calcium, phosphorus, zinc, etc.). Dig a whole 2-3" deep by about 3 feet across. Potassium and sodium must maintain a balance at a cellular level, and since most green, growing vegetation is much higher in potassium than sodium, deer become salt hungry during the spring and summer as their bodies crave more sodium. For about $50 or less, you can buy all the ingredients you need to make several productive and quality mineral sites for deer. There is little question that increased mineral nutrition can improve your deer herd, and now that you know what to expect for intake, you can use this information to make sure your mineral product is performing as it should. Realtree is committed to providing an inclusive and accessible experience to everyone, including those with disabilities.2023 Jordan Outdoor Enterprises, Ltd. All rights reserved. Calcium and phosphorus are important for bone growth, while magnesium helps to regulate muscle and nerve function. TOTAL - #200 - $59.60. If the buck consumes only 3 pounds of the 28 percent protein product but eats 5 pounds of the 22 percent product, he is actually getting more protein from the 22 percent product than the 28 percent product. It takes food, shelter, and time to reach the antler growth stage. |, Python Hunter Catches 28 in Florida Python Challenge, Fail Video: Tournament Bass Angler Falls From Boat, Loses Fishing Rod, Great Gear: Bering Optics Rubicon Pro Reflex Sight, Best How-To Deer Hunting Article Ive Ever Read, One or two 50-pound bag(s) of trace-mineral salt. A few drops of a natural attractant, such as rice bran, apple extract, or salt, can also be added to your deer mineral. Research shows granular minerals facilitate increased consumption by animals as theyre able to literally eat (vs. lick) the mixture. Yes, whitetails will eat dirt, but the vast majority of minerals they consume enter the system through the plants they eat. But theyre bitter on their own, so you need to add more salt to the mix. Typically, this attractant comes in the form of straight salt. Pour your mineral contents all over the turned-up ground and mix it in with the shovel or pitchfork. Now, back to the 18 percent protein. Clearly minerals are important in antler development. for about $23.00 1 part Di-calcium phosphate, this is a dairy feed additive bought at feed stores. Tink's Estrous Gel Stream 3. Replace the lick periodically to ensure that the deer are receiving the minerals they need. What does all this mean to the average deer hunter and manager? Even taking all of this into consideration, I believe that, at the very least, the results strongly suggest that the intake of free choice minerals is substantially lower than 1 to 2 ounces per head per day. Once you begin your mineral-lick program, keep in mind that youll want to refreshen them throughout the year to keep them attracting deer and providing the minerals they need. The Importance of Knowing Intake A lot is made over the power of mineral sites to grow antlers and create a healthier deer population. So a product that is very high in salt will likely have less total consumption than a product lower in salt. Simply use a bucket with nearby pond or creek water to do this. By delivering mineral in this way, youre exposing deer to greater risk of parasites and diseases. In addition, one group was provided a commercial mineral supplement. They concluded that soil phosphorus levels were the best indicator of body size, probably because phosphorus deficient soils are common throughout the United States. In the above video, I share a simple recipe for making about 100 pounds of the mix for less than $40. 2 parts Trace mineral salt, the red and loose kind without the medications. Its a bountiful area that produces wheat, corn and beef cattle that feed thousands of people around the world. Important macro-nutrients include: calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na) and sulfur (S). Pros of Using a Homemade Deer Mineral Lick, Cons of Using a Homemade Deer Mineral Lick, Best Practices for Placing a Homemade Deer Mineral Lick on Your Property. Deer. Again, this isnt a magic trick that will ensure you have trophy bucks running around your property, but youll at least have peace of mind that your deer have access to all the minerals they will need to stay healthy and to develop antlers and healthy fawns. Larry Redmon and Richard Reed (the latter now deceased) were local cattlemen and avid deer hunters, and they had a question Id never heard. In the old days, we simply dug holes and poured granular mineral into them. About 40 percent is composed of protein. Michigan Hunter Shoots 200-class Non-typical After Oversleeping That Morning, How to Find Big Buck Sanctuaries in the Spring, Potential Kentucky State Record Crossbow Typical Shot in Hemp Field, Iowa Bowhunter Goes Stealth Mode with a Tree Saddle to Bag 194-inch Non-typical, Saskatchewan Hunter Finds Target Sheds After Looking for Multiple Days, Nebraska Shed Hunter's Wife and Dog Find 6x9 Set One Year After Learning About the Buck, Oklahoma Hunter Sticks Heavy-antlered Non-typical After Gaining Permission on Property. During the spring and summer, deer operate at a sodium deficiency due to the high potassium and water content of the forage. Here are some deer mineral recipe tips and tactics to get your whitetails as healthy as they can be. You can also add it to a basic free choice mineral. While it sounds simple to concoct your own mineral mix, thats really not a good idea. B.Y.O Deer Base. Result Can deer freeze to death when severe cold weather, such as dangerously low temperatures, deep snow and crushing winds, set in? As you can see, getting the right salt level in a mineral can be tricky. The lick should not be placed in an area that is prone to flooding, as this may wash away the minerals in the lick. Because of the large quantities of minerals required for antler growth, whitetails have developed the ability to bank calcium and phosphorus in their skeletons and then transfer these minerals during antler growth. Do I believe that? Research in Tennessee supports this. These folks should know more than anyone about proper nutrition for ruminants, a group that includes whitetails. Mineral rocks are often called a deer mineral lick, since deer have to actually lick it to get the mineral content. Granular these minerals are added to the soil, and deer get them by consuming the minerals and/or soil/minerals mixture. I've used all manner of commercial mineral products over the years, and I've also epxerimented with my own blends. Salt becomes less of an attractant, which means that in order to get continued mineral consumption, a different type of attractant must be used. Back in the early 1970s, two men came to visit me at the Institute for White-tailed Deer Management & Research in Texas. However, soil limitations often dictate using supplements to fill in the blanks created by scarcity of critical minerals in the native environment. Weve learned that a multi-pronged approach to providing deer minerals is best. Deer prefer mineral sites that are in cover as opposed to out in the open. The results of these studies suggest that mineral supplementation especially calcium, phosphorus, and sodium may provide some benefit, especially in situations where deer are nutritionally deprived or areas with minerally deficient soils. In this study, researchers did detect a difference in yearling buck antler development between supplemented and unsupplemented groups. With careful consideration of the deers nutritional requirements and the needs of the environment, a successful deer mineral recipe can be created. As I detailed in the Spring issue, its safe to say that soils determine more about whitetail growth and productivity than any other factor. But I think the aroma of the added products -- the general purpose mineral in the blend above -- helps deer find the location faster and may add some level of taste value as well. Continue with Recommended Cookies, Home Recipes The #1 Best Deer Mineral Recipe. These make up about 60 percent of the total weight of the antler. Studies show that there are about 11 minerals in deer antlers. Dig a whole 2-3" deep by about 3 feet across. In a large bowl, mix together the plain salt, white sugar, trace mineral salt, ground limestone, dolomite lime, and Epsom salt. Homemade Deer Mineral Recipe Watch on Be sure and Visit North American Wildlife and Habitat Facebook Page Below are photo using 35 mm game camera, Mineral lick site was started in 2000 on this piece of property in Southern Missouri along the Arkansas Border. This mineral will be for sale in the next 2 weeks!! Staying undetected by deer while hunting in a ground blind takes a few easy steps. Next, clear the ground to bare dirt, about 3 feet in diameter. The most common intake claim by deer products on the market is 1 to 2 ounces per head per day or 1/16 to 1/8 of a pound. However, if you are using mineral supplements or considering using them to improve the nutritional plan of the deer herd on your property, I think having at least an idea of what expected intake is is important. in Food Plots, A different approach, Research is learning what is wrong about a forage. However, salt can also be an intake limiter for the very same reason and is often used in livestock minerals to limit intake. Many hunters believe that it is simply because bucks need the minerals for antler growth and does for raising fawns during these months. Gordon Whittington heads north to his personal Missouri farm for some crossbow action. Next, choose a central location near cover and dig a shallow, 6-inch deep hole a few feet in diameter. According to research, yes. However, be mindful of your impact to the area and don't risk spooking your buck by delving too deep into his core area. Since deer tend to like salt, placing a mineral lick in a location where there is water is the best way to attract them. Have fun with it. So, if you have already addressed the larger concerns of habitat and herd management, mineral supplements can be another part of your overall management plan. Deer: Balancing Expectations for Small Properties, Get to Know Your Neighbors for Better Deer Herd Management, Big Buck Profile: Reid Crawford Kansas Buck, Choosing Correct Magnification for Rifle Scope, Big Buck Profile: Troy Metzger's East Illinois Giant. Wildgame Innovations, for example, has all manner of attractants that have a powerful aroma that should help deer find your mineral site more quickly and may add a flavor component that the deer love. Here are some best practices for placing a homemade mineral lick on your property: By following these best practices for placing a homemade deer mineral lick, you can ensure that your deer will have access to important minerals in a safe and comfortable area. Making your own deer mineral isn't hard, nor is it expensive. While all these minerals are important, we quickly learned that Ca and P in particular had a lot to do with the size of deer and their antlers. Make sure the lick is near a water source. Stockpiled Forages, The Key to Growing Big Bucks. Over the past five years or so, I've really started to fine-tune the system that I use for running trail cameras in the spring and summer months, and it's a system that revolves entirely around mineral sites. You can use granular minerals or dicalcium phosphate, which can be found at a feed store. The 2 most important elements on a tag are the calcium levels and phosphorous levels. One of the easiest ways to lure deer to your property is to place a mineral lick. The best places for minerals are around a water source ponds, creeks, lakes, etc. The white will cause the deer to notice it and start to use it. Those actually were wonderful days to do research, as my colleagues and I picked the low-hanging fruit of knowledge. You might go to your mineral site and see that it has been pawed at or dug out and little mineral is visible, but it is hard to tell how much was eaten and how much leached into the soil. A few drops of a natural attractant, such as rice bran, apple extract, or salt, can also be added to your deer mineral. Strongly consider buying a bag of rice bran or other attractant like apple extract that may entice deer to eat the minerals. A good Deer Mineral Recipe can help lead you to success during hunting season by helping the deer to congregate to a common area. I began the project by placing black plastic feeding pans at my oldest and most frequented deer mineral sites. Over a four year period the researchers were unable to detect any differences between the two deer herds. The amount of mineral soil used for antler growth will depend on how many deer will visit the site. All Rights Reserved. That would certainly work. In areas where it is legal to use deer mineral, here is an economic option for you. Mineral licks also provide a great place to survey deer with game cameras. Because intake is typically relative to body weight, one would think that if a cow weighing 1,400 pounds was eating 2 to 4 ounces of mineral, then a deer weighing 200 pounds should eat only between 0.28 to 0.57 ounces, not 1 to 2 ounces. This can help attract deer to feed stations during these stressful periods. Homemade Fortified Deer Block Bootleg Outdoors 146K views 5 years ago Mineral licks for deer Kosmo's Blackdog Outdoors 36K views 6 years ago You're signed out of YouTube Sign in to like. While I could identify many of the deer that used the sight daily, some did not use the site each day, and some could not be definitely identified as a daily user. I struggled with that, because many cattle minerals have a known intake consumption of 2 to 4 ounces per head per day. Placing the lick in a spot with tall grasses or shrubs will help the deer feel safe when they are visiting the lick. Dicalcium phosphate contains around 19 percent phosphorous and 20 to 25 percent calcium. Farm B had a total of eight adult deer using the deer mineral site, five of which used the site on a daily basis. WHITETAIL DEER HOMEMADE MINERAL MIX RECIPE. A classic study on the mineral needs of deer was conducted at Penn State University in the 1950s. Gordon Whittington talks with 13-year-old Troy Metzger about the 2016 hunt that landed the young man a monster non-typical buck on this edition of Big Buck Profile. There also is 5 flavors that are natural to deer. That's why mineral licks make excellent trail camera spots in the summer. Free choice minerals are probably one of the most difficult products where you can get a good sense of intake. Therefore, in these areas, salt may be just as necessary as calcium and phosphorus to whitetails during the spring and summer. Minerals are also important for does. I've done more research on this that I care to disclose, but from . They know that deer typically begin using supplemental minerals around spring green-up and continue until early fall. Many hunters will find an old rotted stump near trails and use that for their man-made lick. Despite the number of products now on the market and the amount of information published, many user questions continue. All Rights Reserved. Also, if youre not getting at least the intake level of .2 to .4 ounce per head per day, then maybe you need to switch products, move the mineral site or make some other changes to make sure deer are consuming the desired amount. Food additive these minerals are combined with a supplemental feed, and deer get them while consuming the feed. In its own way, western Kansas is quite beautiful, that is, of course, unless you like a lot of trees. And, honestly, the only difference I can tell is in the price. They can feed darned near anywhere as browse is abundant and crops are plentiful. Not enough salt and it won't be as weather proof nor will it be as palatable. The placement of a homemade deer mineral lick on your property is an important factor in encouraging deer to visit and use the lick. 2 parts Trace mineral salt, the red and loos kind without the medications. Making deer mineral licks is not a hassle and you can do it on your own in a few simple steps. Deer will consume anywhere between 1 to 5 percent of their body weight each day, depending on the time of year, with winter consumption being on the low end of the scale and summer consumption being on the higher end. We routinely give our cattle minerals, Larry said, and we wondered if it would be possible to make a mineral for deer?. And continue until early fall actually lick it to a basic free choice minerals are probably one of mix. The project by placing black plastic feeding pans at my oldest and most frequented deer mineral lick can also an... 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