Mineral Sites

[matchset]

that makes 4 of us! they are great for photos....

[PerchJerker]

I think the best way to look at this is to think of minerals for deer the same way you think of vitamins for people ......

Do you need to take vitamin pills to be healthy?

No. Most of the vitamins you need come from the food you eat.

If you take vitamins pills will they make you healthier and stronger than you are now?

Maybe ---- especially if your diet is lacking in foods that provide natural sources of the the vitamins / minerals you need.

Will taking a lot of vitamin pills make you bigger and healthier than taking just 1 vitamin pill each day.

No --- once you get the vitamins and minerals your body needs, any extra ones are just wasted. And you don't need much.

So back to minerals for deer .... I think putting out minerals for deer can help their health, but you're not likely to see it in the form of bigger antlers. And I think salt is a great attractant for deer, but I don't think salt is doing anything at all to help the health of the deer.

FWIW, I put out salt and minerals every year for my deer.

[nwhunter]

I go out to my location and put salt/minerals in the same three places three times a year. Just the standard 50 lb blocks. I've found that it's important to get them out early (trail-cam evidence) and keep refreshing them. I missed one of my spots a couple of years ago, and didn't see any deer towards opener when I would have seen at least a couple. I do, however, usually wait until May to let the spring rain slow down. This year I'm going to try my hand at planting some clover, although I don't know where to start (how much/big of a plot/when?)

I have a stump that I've placed a salt block on for the past 15 years that's been worn to the ground in the middle. Deer still come up to it for a nibble before I get the first blocks out in May.

Without getting into an ethical battle, I think trail cams are very important for learning what the salt (or other actions for that matter)is doing. If you are putting out salt/minerals, and no deer come by, what have you accomplished other than waste some money? Great tip on the home-made concoction. Something that I've never considered.

[shedaddict]

I have been a firm believer in Antler King Mineral. The deer love it. I run 4 different sites and all of them have depressions in the ground where the deer get at it. I have found they use them starting now until early September and then not so much after that. I use it to see what is in the area and I like to think that it helps the deer out; but I don't have anything to specifically back that up.

I tried Deer Cane a couple times, but the deer in my area seem to prefer Antler King...bears seem to love it too!

[Crappie Rage]

For my property in NE Kansas I have been using the Fleet Farm brand they have. It has minerals in it and about 20% salt. It comes in a white bag and is apple flavored. First two years we had our property there were alot of broken antlers. Years three and four have seen almost no broken antlers. I believe it helps.

June 1 photo of mineral on flat ground and July one photo.

[Crappie Rage]

July 1 photo.

[reinhard1]

nice shot. digin like a dog. thats a nice buck right there. good luck.

[TooTallTom]

Isn't it still illegal (in MN) to put food products down as deer attractant within a certain window of hunting?

And, how strictly is "food" interpreted? Is cane juice extract or yeast in a commercial product technically illegal?

[gurkster]

Salt and minerals are legal in MN, but not much else. Anything that could be considered food, or has food product is illegal in MN.

[TooTallTom]

Thanks gurkster, I was just wondering if I was remembering correctly or not. I'll try to remember to ask a C.O. the next time I get checked what the official stance is on something like yeast or other ingredients like it actually being considered a food product.

[Crappie Rage]

From PerchJerker....So back to minerals for deer .... I think putting out minerals for deer can help their health, but you're not likely to see it in the form of bigger antlers. And I think salt is a great attractant for deer, but I don't think salt is doing anything at all to help the health of the deer.

What if the missing mineral is calcium?? What if that buck is not getting enough calcium for his body growth? The body comes first and the antlers second. If the body has enough calcium then the antlers will get the surplus resulting in more mass and strength.

I believe this is true with what I have seen.

[Musky hunter 82]

I just started this spot this year. 100 pictues in a week, what do you guys think is this a buck or doe?

[matchset]

doe. short muzzle.

[midwesthunter]

I have used the commercial stuff for the last 7 or 8 years and have had good luck with it, mostly 30.06 and Oh Deer. This year I am trying this mix:

50 lbs Dicalcium phosphate

50 lbs salt

100 lbs trace mineral salt

I also threw in a few packets of Kool Aid in the mix for the heck of it.

I picked everything at fleet farm for just under $40, pretty decent for 200 lbs of mix.

I have also had really good luck with a protein block from fleet farm, normally they go for $8 or $9 bucks. Just watch out, the bears love to steal them or roll around in them and then rub it all over your trail camera.

[Boar]

I'm curious, wat are yo carring that 50 lb block of salt with, thought about doing this but dont feel like humping 50 lb up a half mile or more into my woods. i haul alot of bear bait but thats in bucket an easy to carry. And wat do ya mean by refreshing a salt block? adding a new one? Just curious. Boar

[MinnesotaMike]

Midwesthunter,

I started a mineral site up north but I do not maintain it now. I say that because I have a couple of bags of left over stuff (same as you are using)you can have them if you want.

Let me know we can meet up somewhere in Forest Lake, I'm in lino.

Mike

[TooTallTom]

boar, I don't have a good enough memory of the sizes, will a block fit in a five-gallon pail? You could always take a hammer or mason's hatchet to it to encourage it to fit.

[mudslinger64]

boar,i just brought one out and i put it in a backpack.it wasn't so bad but one with a frame would have been better.i wore it on my wheeler for about 1/2 mile then walked another 1/4 mile with it.i sure felt light after i got it of my back though,haha how did you do on the bears last year?i didn't have much time to hunt them last year but this year will be a different story.

[Boar]

Thanks for the replies guys, I was thinking a catlitter pail would work good there square almost. Hey muddy, wats happining? Yea I took a 180-200lb dry sow last year, man she tasted good, just got done this weekend making 20lbs of bear burger mixed with 50% pork some season salt an high temp cheeder an pepperjack cheese, Oh My! Grilling time!WheeHaaaw. Yup cant wait, that reminds me I gota apply this year, gotta new site up by grygla Im pretty ecited about. Good luck this year Muddslinger, later boar