salt licks

warningshot · Post by **warningshot** » Sat May 17, 2008 2:29 pm

does anyone ever put out mineral licks for deer ...and if so what product or receipe do you use ...and where do u put them

Pink Panther · Post by **Pink Panther** » Sat May 17, 2008 3:32 pm

I use a product from Back yard Wildlife products , it is called a mineral foutian there address is [email protected] . I have had it set up know for a couple a weeks the deer are comeing in to check it out. Check out the web site for info and pictures.

dick195252 · Post by **dick195252** » Sat May 17, 2008 7:42 pm

You can use a plain old cow salt block and get as good if not better results as any of the advertised mineral licks

tracer · Post by **tracer** » Sat May 17, 2008 9:54 pm

I put out the trace mineral block, available at TSC stores. The deer really love it from Spring to Aug. They prefer trace mineral over the straight salt blocks. I place it by a well used deer trail and setup the trail cam. I break the block into pieces to make it easier to pack it in. As the deer lick it up, they dig holes in the ground.

.

The broken up pieces are the trace mineral.

kitty kat · Post by **kitty kat** » Sun May 18, 2008 10:24 am

I use the smaller mineral salt blocks that I get at T.S.C.sotres or most feed stores. I have used the premiun water softened salt that I dig into the ground and the pour about 10 gallons of water into it. The deer really dig into the ground looking for the salt. I have used the deer attractant to go with the special deer salt but it didn' work for me but it did work for a friend. Try different methods , something will work.

DaGriz · Post by **DaGriz** » Sun May 18, 2008 11:59 am

I use a natural mineral "rock" that is mined in Utah. I get them at the feed mill/store

http://www.trophyrock.com/trophyrock-tips.cfm

The best stuff I've ever used. The deer use it constantly. I've tried all the commercial mineral block, sla blocks etc and found theses rocks really work!

farmer54 · Post by **farmer54** » Sun May 18, 2008 3:41 pm

We started using the Trophy Rock around Sept 1/07. We put 1 at my Dads farm and 2 at my cousins farm. I got a nice buck last fall that was coming right to it. We got back to check it in the latter part of April. At my dads there was next to nothing left. At my cousins place 1 was just about gone an the 2nd was about 1/2 gone. We put out 2 new ones at the same time. We have put up trail cameras and have pictures of deer coming to the rock. A few of the pictures have 2 or 3 deer licking them. I have tried cow lick blocks and never got the results that we are getting now. Some of the pictures are on the Trophy rock website. The pictures are under the name of Judy.

Kenton · Post by **Kenton** » Sun May 18, 2008 4:35 pm

dick195252 wrote:You can use a plain old cow salt block and get as good if not better results as any of the advertised mineral licks

This is true, but salt does nothing for the deer. If you are putting something out anyway, make it worthwhile.

DaGriz · Post by **DaGriz** » Sun May 18, 2008 5:17 pm

Salt is craved by deer in the spring. During the summer and through the fall they get what small amount of salt they need from the food they eat. The mineral rocks provide them with a group of minerals they need to promote healthier bodies, increased antler growth etc. Kind of like humans taking mutiple vitamins when they don't eat properly.

Ceratin foods that deer eat give them some of what they need but not all Some areas don't have the needed minerals, protein and nutrients to promote good body developement. That's why food plots with the specifically developed foods are important to good deer management. If you read up on landowners who manage their property for deer you would find they plant varied and specific food sources to promote healthy,heard with big animals. Including natireal mineral "rocks" or blocks.

8up · Post by **8up** » Sun May 18, 2008 7:55 pm

These are quotes from a Biologist here in Tennessee (poor soil) that makes a living managing wildlife and QDM farms as well as a deer hunter.

[BSK] When comparing deer that have access to mineral licks versus deer in the same area that do not, there is no difference in animal performance.

I use salt licks simply because they are great locations for photo-inventorying the resident summer population.

[apsuheead]We use regular white salt blocks for pictures. BSK do you seem to get more pics with trophy rock? Should I spend the extra money?

[BSK] I'm not sure one type of salt/mineral will outperform another in attractiveness. I just like Trophy Rocks because they are not man-made. They are a completely natural product--simply chunks of naturally deposited salt mined from the Great Salt Lake deposits. I try to stay as natural as possible.

I have used some of everything. I have seen it take a full year before they really used it in some sites. Money is tight so no more trophy rock for me. I even use the trace mineral that comes in bags from the feed store[/quote]

ninepointer · Post by **ninepointer** » Mon May 19, 2008 2:33 pm

Here are some pics of a lick (water softener salt) I put out during the 3rd week of April. I've been checking it while turkey hunting and the deer are hitting it pretty good, with trails radiating from it like the spokes of a wheel. Soon I will be topping up the pit with a special mineral supplement. My main purpose is to attract and hold deer in the area, hoping they will continue to call it their home in the fall.

Week 1

Week 3

Week 4

warningshot · Post by **warningshot** » Wed May 21, 2008 2:14 pm

i went and put some salt down as well as some minerals from backyard magic......we'll see what happens ...thanks for all the info

Galgo · Post by **Galgo** » Fri May 23, 2008 2:22 pm

Road salt works just fine for me.

Country · Post by **Country** » Thu May 29, 2008 9:42 am

I've been using a trace mineral block I got from the local feed store and the deer are using it for sure but I'm not sure if it's really what I want. I seem to remember reading somewhere that a mineral block for deer shouldn't contain more then 45% salt and the rest should be minerals. I can't seem to find anything like that on the market. The trace mineral stuff will say something like (and I don't remember accurately) .09% phosphorous. What does this mean? Is that too little or maybe even next to useless? What minerals should a deer block have to really promote antler growth and good health? All blocks work as an attractant but what's best for the deer?

wabi · Post by **wabi** » Thu May 29, 2008 9:31 pm

Over the years I've tried about every type mineral block advertised. The only thing that has consistantly drawn deer in has been a plain old salt block!
I tried the trophy rock last year and it would have put meat on the table for me if I'd taken the shot. I was in my ladder stand 20 yards from the block with the season in, a license in my pocket, and the Phoenix cocked & loaded when he showed up! I just didn't have the heart to pull the trigger.

Besides, I'd already had my fill of squirrel for the year.

(and that one fox squirrel was all I ever saw at the trophy rock)

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salt licks

salt licks

Salt licks