Copyright Jesse's Hunting & Outdoors L.L.C. Typically, this attractant comes in the form of straight salt. 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. Mineral licks arent going to magically grow trophy racks on a bucks head, but they are a piece of the management puzzle. Pour in the mineral and the rice bran at a ratio of 2:1. During the spring and summer, deer operate at a sodium deficiency due to the high potassium and water content of the forage. Therefore, I took the total number of deer that used the site over a seven-day period and divided it by seven days to reach an approximate number of deer using the site each day. Your Complete Wildlife Nutrition and Property Management, difference between coated and non coated seeds. Comments on this site are submitted by users and are not endorsed by nor do they reflect the views or opinions of COLE Publishing, Inc. The white will cause the deer to notice it and start to use it. Granular - these minerals are added to the soil, and deer get them by consuming the minerals and/or soil/minerals mixture. However, soil limitations often dictate using supplements to fill in the blanks created by scarcity of critical minerals in the native environment. Experiment and see what works best for you. Could the use of salt/mineral mixes simply be due to an increased need for salt? Help us continue producing great, educational content by joining the National Deer Association or making a tax-deductible donation. But adding a mineral site to the mix has been the ticket for me. 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. Thats all there is to it. 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. ). What is the Most Important Factor in Whitetail Nutrition? Comes in 50lb Bags at around $11.00 you need one bag. In fact, theres significant scientific evidence to suggest Cu deficiencies are linked to spontaneous occurrences of brain diseases such as mad cow and CWD. For one, as long as you have an idea of how many deer are on your property, knowing expected intake can help you figure out how much mineral you can expect to use each year. This should be followed by developing a food-plot or native-plant fertilization program to ameliorate any deficiencies. In so doing, we get fantastic response from the deer herd. This can help attract deer to feed stations during these stressful periods. Trace mineral salt contains mostly salt, which is what the deer are actually looking for, and various other trace amounts of minerals such as zinc, manganese, iron all of which are found in hardened deer antler. 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. 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. You are using an out of date browser. Creating a lick is certainly fun, inexpensive, and watching deer respond to these licks is satisfying. There are several different ways to supplement a deers diet with vitamins, minerals, and chelated trace elements. 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. While the advantages of mineral supplementation have not been clearly documented, neither have any disadvantages. Studies show that there are about 11 minerals in deer antlers. Almost all soils more than 2550 miles from a seacoast are low in sodium. Look for the highest amounts of calcium and phosphorus on the label. Over the years, with the use of thousands of trail camera photos and a lot of trial and error, I have figured out a few factors that influence mineral consumption both positively and negatively. Whitetail Institute Winter-Greens Deer Food Buying Guide Easy to use Effectiveness Affordability Portability Frequently Asked Questions This study differed from the Penn State study in that both herds were fed a nutritionally complete diet. Pour your mineral contents all over the turned-up ground and mix it in with the shovel or pitchfork. Place the lick in a location that has a lot of natural cover. Be sure its in close proximity to a good tree for a trail camera, too. 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. The lick should not be placed in an area that is prone to flooding, as this may wash away the minerals in the lick. Many hunters believe that it is simply because bucks need the minerals for antler growth and does for raising fawns during these months. Sodium helps to regulate blood pressure and fluid balance in the body. When soil is either too low or high in pH, utilization of P is inhibited, greatly affecting body growth and antler production. This is why knowing your intake is so important for your mineral program. What Are Arrows Shot From Untuned Bows Likely to Do. 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. Discussion 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. Making your own deer mineral isn't hard, nor is it expensive. This makes deer actively seek out concentrated sources of sodium such as natural or manmade licks. But this does not guarantee that deer will use the site. Getting your food plots back on track. I then placed cameras at each one of the sites to monitor usage. It also has a lower taste, so deer will return for more. Mineral sites do exactly that. Stockpiled Forages, The Key to Growing Big Bucks. 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. Whether the addition of supplemental minerals is truly benefitting the deer, or if the deer are simply using the site because of the salt, isn't really a primary concern of mine. Deer mineral licks are a great way to attract more deer. Salt becomes less of an attractant, which means that in order to get continued mineral consumption, a different type of attractant must be used. In the above video, I share a simple recipe for making about 100 pounds of the mix for less than $40. TINK'S Doe-in-Rut Buck Lure 2. Too much salt and you will limit total intake of mineral. Our deer blog is one of the longest-running and most popular ones out there. Not enough salt and it won't be as weather proof nor will it be as palatable. Mixing Salts Mix the trace minerals above with 1 part mixing salts Dried Molasses Mix the above ingredients with 1 part dried molasses. That means their expected consumption should be 0.21 to 0.42 ounces per head, per day. I have found that mineral sites located in sandy areas are utilized less than mineral sites in heavier soils. When spring rolls around, hunters everywhere gear up to begin establishing or recharging the mineral sites on their hunting properties. The first and most beneficial is to pour the GYT90 crude soybean oil and mineral mixture over supplemental feed. Strongly consider buying a bag of rice bran or other attractant like apple extract that may entice deer to eat the minerals. However, several studies have shown that while deer readily use mineral licks high in salt, they rarely, if ever, use pure mineral supplements. I group these factors into two categories non-nutritional and nutritional factors. for about $23.00. A few drops of a natural attractant, such as rice bran, apple extract, or salt, can also be added to your deer mineral. With careful consideration of the deers nutritional requirements and the needs of the environment, a successful deer mineral recipe can be created. Dr. James Kroll and Haynes Shelton explain why it's important to know your neighbors when operating a smaller deer property. The best place to put a deer lick is near your closest water holes, ponds or water sources and near your food plots. Granular these minerals are added to the soil, and deer get them by consuming the minerals and/or soil/minerals mixture. Mike Clerkin heads to the legendary Buffalo County, Wisconsin, in search of early season whitetail action. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Despite the number of products now on the market and the amount of information published, many user questions continue. This mineral will be for sale in the next 2 weeks!! There are commercial and homemade granular mixes available. Important Note: Minerals on their own are bitter, so be sure to mix in plenty of salt to attract the deer. But why do they use these licks and why is their use restricted primarily to the spring and summer? To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Staying undetected by deer while hunting in a ground blind takes a few easy steps. Free choice minerals are probably one of the most difficult products where you can get a good sense of intake. Taking common ingredients found in most homes and mixing them into a viable, attractive combination that deer love is an easy process. 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. I know of some deer managers in Ohio whose homemade mineral mixes gave the animals heavy metal poisoning! It would appear that, based on the test results, intake of a free choice deer mineral is substantially lower than what is commonly thought and much closer to the predicted intake based on body weight calculation. We routinely give our cattle minerals, Larry said, and we wondered if it would be possible to make a mineral for deer?. If the mineral soil is buried in the ground, you may need to add more salt to it. Or maybe you have an established mineral site that you need to freshen up. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments. Studies have shown that calcium and phosphorus are by far the two most common minerals in deer antlers, comprising 3035 percent of the mature antler by weight. However, there must be enough salt in the product for the deer to be attracted to it. Pour in one of the bags of salt and one box of the A & H. Stir in well and then add three forths of the second bag of salt and all of the 2nd box of A & H. Mix in well and smooth over the top. Deer will be less likely to visit the lick if there is too much human presence. Mix the minerals and dirt well in the depression, and then add a little molasses for a sweetener. Sign up for NDAs free e-newsletter now! Homemade deer mineral licks can provide tasty nutrients to the deer that will make them come back looking for more. As I was at the time formulating a 20-year research plan for our institute, I decided it was a natural fit to include mineral supplementation in the plan. 2023 National Deer Association, All Rights Reserved. Antlers are comprised of roughly 20 percent calcium and 10 percent phosphorus. | Dig a whole 2-3" deep by about 3 feet across. WATCH: Where to Place Minerals for the Best Results. Crappy Weather/ Days off just not lining up for Coyotes. 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.. In a large bowl, mix together the plain salt, white sugar, trace mineral salt, ground limestone, dolomite lime, and Epsom salt. for about $23.00 1 part Di-calcium phosphate, this is a dairy feed additive bought at feed stores. That's why mineral licks make excellent trail camera spots in the summer. Site by Gray Loon. Deer mineral ingredient levels and nutrient percentages really dont mean much if you dont know how much of the product is being consumed. JavaScript is disabled. This would equate to an average ounce-per-head-per-day intake of .29 ounces. The test was conducted in July. Weve learned that a multi-pronged approach to providing deer minerals is best. Deer need a source of food when they are visiting the lick, and the presence of natural browse will help encourage them to visit the lick. Deer minerals are simple math. 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? The key is to have realistic expectations. But generally, one per 100 acres will ensure that the majority of the deer will have easy access to a mineral site. If youre looking for a natural way to increase your deers antler growth, homemade deer minerals may be the answer. The author dispenses granular mineral into a covered trough. For several years now, I have been formulating free choice minerals for wild deer. To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Have you ever wondered why deer hammer mineral licks in the warm-weather months more than any other time of year? Magnesium is perhaps the third most important mineral with sodium being not far behind. A solid habitat/nutrition plan should involve manipulating preferred plants to keep them within what we call the deer zone (within four feet of the ground), on a sustained basis. In terms of trying to identify the total number of different deer using each sight, how much did human error play into the results? While this will help them find you more quickly, it will also add flavor. But we now know that was a really bad idea. Homemade deer mineral supplements work best near waterholes and food plots. Have you ever traveled through western Kansas? Deer are very finicky when it comes to eating, especially when it is supplemental products offered to wild deer. These two ingredients are bitter, so you may want to add some salt to the lick. If youre trying to lure deer, place slow-releasing mineral blocks near bedding areas and water sources in the summer. Deer, during this time of year, are actively searching for it. WATCH: 3 Things Youre Doing Wrong with Your Mineral Sites. Im talking smashed with a giant skillet flat. Important macro-nutrients include: calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na) and sulfur (S). WHITETAIL DEER HOMEMADE MINERAL MIX RECIPE Ingredients: Makes 200 lbs. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. February 24, 2023 |Timber 2 Table Wild Game Recipes, February 22, 2023 |Timber 2 Table Wild Game Recipes. The amount of mineral soil used for antler growth will depend on how many deer will visit the site. The key to homemade mineral mixes is to keep the concentration of salt to a minimum. Just be sure to buy and use them in conjunction with an EPA-registered water filter. An established mineral site to the high potassium and water content of the longest-running and most beneficial is to the! 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