Subscriber Services. Find an area located in some cover close to the water source. If you dont have established mineral sites, then youll need to make some. locks tend to be the least effective way for deer to get supplemental minerals. While this will help them find you more quickly, it will also add flavor. Next, clear the ground to bare dirt, about 3 feet in diameter. Im talking smashed with a giant skillet flat. I only know that when I put out a mineral site, I'm likely going to have an excellent location for capturing a lot of trail camera images. We also identified magnesium deficiencies in some Michigan deer when we discovered dozens of them eating mud rich in this mineral. Of course, while mulling this over in my Excel spreadsheet, I was making a lot of assumptions, so I decided to conduct a research project on one of my farms to see if I could come up with a number based on real data. Sodium helps to regulate blood pressure and fluid balance in the body. Its best to get started as soon as spring green-up starts taking place, but keeping minerals out year-round is better. I then placed cameras at each one of the sites to monitor usage. Predator Hunting (Coyote, Bobcat, Fox, Wolf, Cougar, etc. By delivering mineral in this way, youre exposing deer to greater risk of parasites and diseases. Once they've found the location, it's the salt that keeps them coming back. The amount of mineral soil used for antler growth will depend on how many deer will visit the site. Allow the deer to lick the mineral lick for about two weeks. Leave formulation to the professionals. Copper and zinc aid in the production of red blood cells, while selenium is an important antioxidant. If you dont see any deer activity near the mineral sight, try placing it near water sources and a good tree for trail cameras. That's why mineral licks make excellent trail camera spots in the summer. A good wrinkle to add here is to mix up the recipe used in the video -- that'll give you about 100 pounds of mix -- and then blend in some sort of dry attractant to help the deer find the location quickly and to add some additional flavor value that might keep them coming back for more. If possible, try to position your mineral site near a water source, preferably in cover, as well as close to a good tree for trail cameras. 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. To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine. Strongly consider buying a bag of rice bran or other attractant like apple extract that may entice deer to eat the minerals. Look for the highest amounts of calcium and phosphorus on the label. James Kroll and Haynes Shelton talk about being realistic when it comes to managing a smaller deer property in this edition of Dr. It takes food, shelter, and time to reach the antler growth stage. So why not just pour salt out for the deer if thats what they're after? ). Because of this, I normally recommend at least one site per 40 acres to minimize site competition, with more sites needed in areas with higher deer density. Phone: 1-800-209-DEER (3337) The diacalcium phosphate costs about $25 to $30 and the trace-mineral salt is about $12 to $15 per bag. But why do they use these licks and why is their use restricted primarily to the spring and summer? A few drops of a natural attractant, such as rice bran, apple extract, or salt, can also be added to your deer mineral. However, when antlers are in the velvet stage and growing, they contain about 80 percent protein and 20 percent phosphorous and calcium. Simply use a bucket with nearby pond or creek water to do this. For about $50 or less, you can buy all the ingredients you need to make several productive and quality mineral sites for deer. In this study, researchers did detect a difference in yearling buck antler development between supplemented and unsupplemented groups. Bogart, GA 30622 Many hunters believe that it is simply because bucks need the minerals for antler growth and does for raising fawns during these months. As you seek to improve herd nutrition, theres still no substitute for good native forage management. This past summer, I was developing a new deer mineral product and was constantly frustrated by the fact that I really didnt know what expected intake would be. Dont expect to see trophy bucks walking around this fall just because you gave them a mineral boost this spring. Could the use of salt/mineral mixes simply be due to an increased need for salt? However, these body sources of calcium and phosphorus provide only a portion needed for optimum antler growth. These folks should know more than anyone about proper nutrition for ruminants, a group that includes whitetails. 2 parts Trace mineral salt, the red and loose kind without the medications. Since deer tend to like salt, placing a mineral lick in a location where there is water is the best way to attract them. You can also use this as a trail cam to monitor the growth of your deers antlers. The Trace Mineral salt has all the different minerals which deer need after a long winter. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Also, slightly burying the pan helped to ensure the mineral would not be spilled. WATCH: Where to Place Minerals for the Best Results. 2 parts Trace mineral salt, the red and loos kind without the medications. Powdered sugar brings the sweetness deer crave as the winter approaches. N1 Outdoors - How To Make Your Own Deer Mineral Recipe (and what ingredients you'll need): Trace Minerals 2 parts trace minerals. Anderson, SC, 2023 N1 Outdoors. Minerals attract deer, and they seek them out when they enter these areas. This final and vital piece of the puzzle is daily intake. We routinely give our cattle minerals, Larry said, and we wondered if it would be possible to make a mineral for deer?. So, if we take a 200-pound buck and say that hes eating 4 percent of his body weight each day, then this equates to 8 pounds of total daily food consumption. Here are some deer mineral recipe tips and tactics to get your whitetails as healthy as they can be. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. More Info At www.huntingnet.com Visit site Regardless of the intensity of mineral supplementation, a yearling buck will still be a yearling buck. Western Kansas is also flat, and when I say flat, I dont mean kind of flat. ! The best place to put a deer lick is near your closest water holes, ponds or water sources and near your food plots. In order to hit the 1.44 pounds of protein, the buck would need to consume 5.1 pounds of the 28 percent product or 6.5 pounds of the 22 percent product. Additionally, a homemade deer mineral lick can also include minerals like iron, manganese, and cobalt to provide additional health benefits. However, while recent studies have shown that adult bucks indeed do much of the breeding, bucks as young as 1 1/2 also areinvolved in the rut game. Many of these minerals only make up a fraction of a percent of the antler. The rest must come directly from their diet while their antlers are actively growing. 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. So why not just use straight salt? Research has shown that after a site is used, it will often become a part of the feeding and movement pattern. 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. In reviewing the scientific literature, I quickly discovered there was very little known about critical minerals for deer. These are the most potent and effective of the three elements. Deer mineral licks are a great way to attract more deer. The key is to have realistic expectations. Although deer obviously arent cows, we realized there were three things we needed to learn in regard to mineral supplementation: (1) Which minerals deer need; (2) How do deer obtain these minerals in the wild; and (3) Whats the best way to provide such supplements? Although this winter has been warmer than average for much of the country, many, Deer warts are one of the most easily visible diseases of whitetails, and every year deer hunters ask us about this health problem. In a large bowl, mix together the plain salt, white sugar, trace mineral salt, ground limestone, dolomite lime, and Epsom salt. Box 160 Minerals are important to all living things, serving a host of physiological functions. Even though we used protein in this example, the same is true for nutrients in a mineral supplement. Many home deer mineral lick recipes use a 2:1 ratio of dicalcium phosphate to salt. So here, during a time of year when mineral interest and use are high, Id like to recap which minerals deer need and how to address those needs. Plain Stock Salt - #50 - $4.30. Mar 18, 2010. Experiment and see what works best for you. Maybe, or maybe not. 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. When formulating free choice minerals, or any feed product for that matter, the vital elements include the ingredients used along with the percentage of those ingredients and the resulting percentage of actual nutrients (i.e. By using 1-2.5 lb bag of B.Y.O Deer Base to create 25 lbs of deer mineral, you will have the most bio available deer mineral in the market place. I then allowed the deer to use the sites for seven days, at which time I removed the remaining contents from the pan and weighed it in order to get a total usage. The best mineral sites are located near water sources. As I detailed in the Spring issue, its safe to say that soils determine more about whitetail growth and productivity than any other factor. Deer. All of these minerals are necessary for deer to maintain their health and help to keep their coats shiny and strong. 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. My purpose for running the mineral sites is to inventory the bucks that are in the area and to provide me with top-notch camera locations. The Importance of Knowing Intake This recipe should also be tailored to meet the needs of the area in which it is being used. They know that deer typically begin using supplemental minerals around spring green-up and continue until early fall. The first and most beneficial is to pour the GYT90 crude soybean oil and mineral mixture over supplemental feed. Once youve thoroughly mixed the minerals with the soil, youre done. The best time to put out these mineral blocks is in February/March/April. Mike Clerkin heads to the legendary Buffalo County, Wisconsin, in search of early season whitetail action. Compared to sheep and goats, whitetails are copper hogs that need a lot of the mineral. If deer were lacking minerals, why wouldnt they use the pure mineral supplement even if salt wasnt present? Dicalcium Phosphate Mix the ingredients above with 1 part dicalcium phosphate. During the spring and summer, deer operate at a sodium deficiency due to the high potassium and water content of the forage. Salt is the most common attractant used in mineral supplements. 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? When spring rolls around, hunters everywhere gear up to begin establishing or recharging the mineral sites on their hunting properties. In fact, theres significant scientific evidence to suggest Cu deficiencies are linked to spontaneous occurrences of brain diseases such as mad cow and CWD. I began the project by placing black plastic feeding pans at my oldest and most frequented deer mineral sites. The best deer mineral program is one that features variety and consistency. WHITETAIL DEER HOMEMADE MINERAL MIX RECIPE. I have found that mineral sites located in sandy areas are utilized less than mineral sites in heavier soils. Deer are hoofed creatures, but that doesn't mean that any mineral that works for a cattle ranch or horses will do the same for whitetails. TOTAL - #200 - $59.60. More Info At www.huntingnet.com Dump no more than 25 lbs per deer lick per application, Lightly kick a little dirt on top of the mineral to make it apear as natural as possible. In the above video, I share a simple recipe for making about 100 pounds of the mix for less than $40. Comes in 50lb Bags at around $11.00 you need one bag. How to Make the World's Best Homemade Deer Attractant Feed Mineral - YouTube Skip navigation Sign in 0:00 / 18:02 Intro How to Make the World's Best Homemade Deer Attractant Feed. Believe it or not, in those early days little of the whitetail information we now commonly take for granted was known. Farm A had an average number of 11 adult deer using the site on a daily basis. I've done more research on this that I care to disclose, but from . Homemade Mineral Lick Go to your local feed store and buy (1) 50lb bag of granulized dicalcium phosphate, (2) 50lb bags of trace mineral salt, and (1) 50lb bag of rock salt. 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. Now consider that a 200-pound deer is a pretty big deer in many parts of the country, and that does might average 150 pounds. Farm B had a total of eight adult deer using the deer mineral site, five of which used the site on a daily basis. The best places for minerals are around a water source ponds, creeks, lakes, etc. Join other outdoor enthusiasts who already get great content delivered right to their inbox. This is especially true of dried molasses, which deer love. You should place a mineral site close to a source of water, as deer will need water after ingesting the minerals. 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. If you plan to use a mineral mix for deer, you may need to increase the concentration of salt over time. Dicalcium Phosphate - #50 - $20.10. Place the lick in an area that has plenty of natural browse available. The combination will promote antler growth and help fawns shed their winter coats. This will help you determine if the lick is being used, and if it needs to be moved or replenished. It won't take long to sink a few hundred bucks into the ground. Deer mineral ingredient levels and nutrient percentages really dont mean much if you dont know how much of the product is being consumed. Studies show that there are about 11 minerals in deer antlers. The white earth minerals work well if you want to add . Granular - these minerals are added to the soil, and deer get them by consuming the minerals and/or soil/minerals mixture. Result But adding a mineral site to the mix has been the ticket for me. I've used all manner of commercial mineral products over the years, and I've also epxerimented with my own blends. One final deer mineral site consideration for non-nutritional factors is soil type. 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