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What Do You Use In Your Mineral Site

BSK said:
Just don't be disappointed if you don't get immediate results. Some licks take months for deer to start using them regularly.
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I have experienced that over the years. I have saw some sites become active almost immediately and others with the same mineralson the same piece of property hardly get used at all. That has always puzzled me.
 
DeerMan66 said:
I have experienced that over the years. I have saw some sites become active almost immediately and others with the same mineralson the same piece of property hardly get used at all. That has always puzzled me.
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Don't know why it happens, but it does. I've seen some licks take a year before they're used regularly. Others, just a matter of days.
 
I usually at least use trace mineral. But, a lot of times will add apple, raspberry, or some other flavor jello.
 
I've got 2 sites with a trophy rock on each one. One is on top of a high ridge and the other is very low in a super thick rocky spot. I watch them both daily on my Edge and they both get activity almost daily, bucks and does. Fun to watch. I see deer and coons a lot but every once in awhile a yote and Bob. The damn Bob, yote, and coon love to piss on the rock but that doesn't deter the deer from licking away 😂.
 
BSK said:
Although off topic, let me just say that, in my opinion, the Top 3 reasons for the spread of CWD have been:

1) Deer farming - keeping deer at high densities in enclosures, and the sale and transport of deer between farms is easily the number #1 cause of the spread of CWD around the country.

2) Transport of live deer by hunters - One of the dark secrets of deer management is how often hunters/land-owners have illegally purchased and released deer onto their properties from deer farms for the purpose of "improving genetics." This has been far more widespread of a practice than most realize, especially about 10-15 years ago. I know it took place at a much higher rate than most hunters would believe. It's just Human Nature to look for the "easy answer" to any problem, even though genetics was never the problem (but the answer is too complicated, hence people jump for the easy one instead).

3) Natural deer behavior - This one is critical, and the reason we will never stop the spread of CWD. It is believed CWD spreads across local populations by infection through bodily fluids, especially saliva and urine. And how do deer communicate in the natural environment? Through saliva and urine. Deer communicate all year round through licking branches. Every deer that passes by a licking branch will mouth and lick it. How do deer communicate during the breeding season? Through urine. Every deer that passes by a communal scrape will sniff and taste the urine-soaked dirt in a scrape. When natural behavior is the primary means a disease spreads, stopping that disease is nearly impossible.
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I remember back in the early 80's Northern deer/bucks were brought down, had the antlers sawed off & released into Chuck Swan wma (now called chuck swan state forest) How is hunting there now?? (i haven't been since late 80's there) I watched deer check one evening & a 48lb dressed doe was heaviest!! (more than 50 checked in while i watched) Leases were actually "not really common" unlike today. where most land is part of some lease?/ . Incidently, i took my first deer in 1976, & that yr a little over 150 deer were taken in hawkins county,,, more than 2000/yr are taken now,, last few yrs anyway. I guess the main reason cwd is around is the population density,,, & of all things a "protein" causes the dz.. (prion) I'm sure i got photos of a couple last yr that had it.. or they were still starving post winter in June/July.. In the past i thought i was helping em by feeding after season & through winter. They always quit feeding soon as everything got good & green here. Anyway, i'm hesitant to feed & put out a "rock" this yr.... sorry for rambling thoughts....
 
Just my 2 cents, if you drop a mineral block, it takes a year before they use that spot, and it's not that effective. They want the clay in the mix. Scrape all the topsoil away in an area the size of a 50# bag of feed. Buy a 50# bag of granulated mineral from TSC and a gallon of molasses. I dig/loosen up the bottom couple of inches of the hole mix in the granulated mineral first, then the molasses. Make sure you get all the leaves, grass, and organics away. That has worked really well for me.
 
Bull_TN said:
Just my 2 cents, if you drop a mineral block, it takes a year before they use that spot, and it's not that effective. They want the clay in the mix. Scrape all the topsoil away in an area the size of a 50# bag of feed. Buy a 50# bag of granulated mineral from TSC and a gallon of molasses. I dig/loosen up the bottom couple of inches of the hole mix in the granulated mineral first, then the molasses. Make sure you get all the leaves, grass, and organics away. That has worked really well for me.
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I just drop the trophy rock on the ground and in s matter of days the deer are licking it away. Year round.
 

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Coop87 said:
Trace minerals from Tractor Supply is a much more affordable option than products targeted towards hunting. I have one site along a pinch point that has been hit so hard it is now a water hole. The other benefit is it creates a common area for deer to leave scent and makes for entertaining sits during the rut. Something I may do different this year is mix in a container of KoolAid.
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You have to keep an eye on copper PPM in trace mineral. Trophy rock is mined by Redmond agriculture, just goes under Redmond Rock. 3ppm copper in it, those trace mineral blocks are upwards of 300ppm in most. Copper is toxic to deer in higher concentrations. How much would they have to consume? I'm not the guy with that answer. Redmond makes a 44lb block version of the exact same mineral as Trophy rock, for a little over $20. Buy one of those and bust it up into pieces, same effect for less money. My boss lives in Utah and picks up directly from Redmond by the pallet load. It's dirt cheap that way, I'm pretty jealous.
 
Prior to CWD I used the mineral mix that MSU Deer Labs had suggested which was two part dical and one part trace mineral salt. Mix the parts in a small bucket and then apply to the loose soil (break dirt with spade or hard tine rake). Trophy rocks were great too! Either of those made sense to me, and obviously no data to support any measurable improvement in antlers or heard health but the idea behind it makes sense. I explained it to my son as it being another supplement that is somewhat like giving deer a multivitamin that also tastes good to them.
 

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