Or maybe you have an established mineral site that you need to freshen up. Also, slightly burying the pan helped to ensure the mineral would not be spilled. Stan Potts heads to Montana with his rifle in search of a Big Sky buck. You could also create your own homemade mineral licks for deer, by combining various bulk minerals (e.g., stock salt, trace minerals, dicalcium phosphate for deer) from your local coop. Once youve thoroughly mixed the minerals with the soil, youre done. This is especially true of dried molasses, which deer love. More Info At www.huntingnet.com Subscriber Services. Simply use a bucket with nearby pond or creek water to do this. 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. For most whitetail managers, one of the best ways to supplement mineral nutrition is (where legal) through supplemental feeding. I group these factors into two categories non-nutritional and nutritional factors. Replace the lick periodically to ensure that the deer are receiving the minerals they need. In addition, one group was provided a commercial mineral supplement. Taking common ingredients found in most homes and mixing them into a viable, attractive combination that deer love is an easy process. Plain Stock Salt - #50 - $4.30. During the spring and summer, deer operate at a sodium deficiency due to the high potassium and water content of the forage. Think of minerals more like a vitamin, filling the gap in any deficiencies that might exist in a deers diet. Dicalcium Phosphate - #50 - $20.10. Mix it well. "I take a 5-gallon bucket and use 1/4 Di-calcium phosphate and divide the rest 50/50. Important Note: Minerals on their own are bitter, so be sure to mix in plenty of salt to attract the deer. 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. Here are some deer mineral recipe tips and tactics to get your whitetails as healthy as they can be. Making your own deer mineral lick can be a simple and cost-effective way to help increase the odds that your hunt will be successful. Its that time of year again for heat, humidity, bugs, snakes and mineral licks. Leave formulation to the professionals. ). When soil is either too low or high in pH, utilization of P is inhibited, greatly affecting body growth and antler production. Next, choose a central location near cover and dig a shallow, 6-inch deep hole a few feet in diameter. Deer minerals are simple math. This sheds light on why quality forage high in protein is needed during the spring and summer for deer to reach their antler potential. Even in the deer world, we are continuously finding that what we thought was fact one day is completely disproved the next. Most commercially-made products are going to run about $20 a bag and each bag will service one site for a couple of months. This final and vital piece of the puzzle is daily intake. Research on domestic livestock has documented numerous benefits of mineral supplementation including increased forage intake, improved forage digestion, and increased reproductive success. Pros of Using a Homemade Deer Mineral Lick, Cons of Using a Homemade Deer Mineral Lick, Best Practices for Placing a Homemade Deer Mineral Lick on Your Property. About 40 percent is composed of protein. Deer are very finicky when it comes to eating, especially when it is supplemental products offered to wild deer. 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. 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. Comes in 50lb Bags at around $11.00 you need one bag. Now add in the oats and mix again. Phone: 1-800-209-DEER (3337) Important macro-nutrients include: calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na) and sulfur (S). Box 160 At least eight were using the site each day, including three yearling does, two adult does, two yearling bucks and one 3-year-old buck. The first step is have the soils analyzed for the critical macro- and micro-nutrients. You can also add it to a basic free choice mineral. Because intake is typically relative to body weight, one would think that if a cow weighing 1,400 pounds was eating 2 to 4 ounces of mineral, then a deer weighing 200 pounds should eat only between 0.28 to 0.57 ounces, not 1 to 2 ounces. I replicated the test on three different farms to help alleviate variables, at least to a certain degree. In areas where it is legal to use deer mineral, here is an economic option for you. Regardless of the intensity of mineral supplementation, a yearling buck will still be a yearling buck. Since deer tend to like salt, placing a mineral lick in a location where there is water is the best way to attract them. Thats all there is to it. The best places for minerals are around a water source ponds, creeks, lakes, etc. Ingredients: Makes 200 lbs. Notice the pond in the background. Whitetail Institute Winter-Greens Deer Food Buying Guide Easy to use Effectiveness Affordability Portability Frequently Asked Questions I have used the same product literally 100 yards apart from each other, and the deer heavily used one site but not the other. ). This mineral will be for sale in the next 2 weeks!! 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? You can use granular minerals or dicalcium phosphate, which can be found at a feed store. Once they've found the location, it's the salt that keeps them coming back. You can do more or less depending on the amount of use you get at a site. Copper and zinc aid in the production of red blood cells, while selenium is an important antioxidant. What Minerals Should Be Included in a Homemade Deer Mineral Lick? Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Here's a recipe that's simple and easy to attract deer to your stand or camera. Deer. The higher the numbers the more you are typically getting out of it. If youre trying to lure deer, place slow-releasing mineral blocks near bedding areas and water sources in the summer. Salt is the most common attractant used in mineral supplements. 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. This being said, there are many variables at play and these results certainly do not provide a definite answer. Rain will dissolve the mixture. Gordon Whittington heads north to his personal Missouri farm for some crossbow action. There are many other examples of popular beliefs being dramatically changed through scientific discovery. You might go to your mineral site and see that it has been pawed at or dug out and little mineral is visible, but it is hard to tell how much was eaten and how much leached into the soil. Making your own deer mineral isn't hard, nor is it expensive. The placement of a homemade deer mineral lick on your property is an important factor in encouraging deer to visit and use the lick. Dig a whole 2-3" deep by about 3 feet across. This would equate to an average ounce-per-head-per-day intake of .29 ounces. This recipe should also be tailored to meet the needs of the area in which it is being used. WHITETAIL DEER HOMEMADE MINERAL MIX RECIPE Ingredients: Makes 250 lbs 1 part Di-calcium phosphate, this is a dairy feed additive bought at feed stores. Tink's Estrous Gel Stream 3. So why not just use straight salt? Wildgame Innovations, for example, has all manner of attractants that have a powerful aroma that should help deer find your mineral site more quickly and may add a flavor component that the deer love. They have a bit of a red pepper tint and some of the seeds are green. Stockpiled Forages, The Key to Growing Big Bucks. Dig a shallow hole and loosen the soil before adding your minerals. A homemade deer mineral lick should include minerals that are essential for deer health, such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, copper, zinc, and selenium. Crappy Weather/ Days off just not lining up for Coyotes. However, soil limitations often dictate using supplements to fill in the blanks created by scarcity of critical minerals in the native environment. You can use granular minerals or dicalcium phosphate, which can be found at a feed store. Surely, the knee-deep depressions in the soil caused by repeated years of mineral supplementation are evidence of deer need, correct? I have found that mineral sites located in sandy areas are utilized less than mineral sites in heavier soils. The ingredients include Trace mineral salt, Di-calcium phosphate, and dried molasses. Micro-nutrients such as Cu, Zn and Se are particularly important to whitetails, responsible for many metabolic activities and immune development. Place the mixture in a shallow container, such as a baking pan or pie plate, and place it in an area frequented by deer. Here is a recipe one of the MO conservation agents passed on to us hunters. Powdered sugar brings the sweetness deer crave as the winter approaches. Pour in the mineral and the rice bran at a ratio of 2:1. 1 part Di-calcium phosphate, this is a dairy feed additive bought at feed stores. A few drops of a natural attractant, such as rice bran, apple extract, or salt, can also be added to your deer mineral. Experiment and see what works best for you. Using a mineral mixture that has less than 50 percent salt will not attract deer. calcium, phosphorus, zinc, etc.). Have you ever wondered why deer hammer mineral licks in the warm-weather months more than any other time of year? 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. This is where we cover all things deer hunting, from experts and whitetail trivia to news, gear, and hardcore hunting advice. B.Y.O Deer Base. You must log in or register to reply here. The two main minerals found in hardened deer antlers are calcium and phosphorous. But adding a mineral site to the mix has been the ticket for me. Make sure the lick is near a water source. One final deer mineral site consideration for non-nutritional factors is soil type. The product you choose needs to have calcium and phosphorus, in as large of quantity as possible. Therefore, mineral supplementation prior to and during antler growth may be beneficial. WHITETAIL DEER HOMEMADE MINERAL MIX RECIPE Ingredients: Makes 200 lbs. There also is 5 flavors that are natural to deer. The feeding pan had a total of 4.27 pounds, or 68.24 ounces, of mineral remaining. Theyre classified as either macro- or micro-nutrients. locks tend to be the least effective way for deer to get supplemental minerals. Most folks would simply look at the tag and see that one product is 28 percent and the other 22 percent and just assume that the deer is getting more protein from the 28 percent protein product. Besides calcium and phosphorus, little is known about the role of other minerals in antler growth. Of course, we now know the Earth isnt flat, but it wasnt a popular belief until science and ocean navigation proved it. For example, research has shown that a buck needs about an 18 percent protein diet during the antler-growing cycle to maximize antler growth. In addition to calcium (19 percent) and phosphorus (10 percent), the next most common elements were magnesium (1 percent) and sodium (0.5 percent). I cannot definitely answer why this is, but I would theorize that it has to do with excessive leaching in sandy soils or possibly even the gritty nature of sand. Make sure you dont place too many deer mineral blocks at a time, but you should put out one lick for every 40 acres of land. Many hunters believe that it is simply because bucks need the minerals for antler growth and does for raising fawns during these months. If you stand in the middle of Highway 400 just west of Dodge City and look out at the horizon, you can get a good understanding of why people once thought the Earth was flat. 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. But if you want to spice it up, you can add a dash of any general-purpose mineral. Rice bran is around $10 for a 40-pound bag. THE RISE AND FALL OF THE MISSOURI WILD TURKEY, 2021 Missouri Spring Turkey Season Worse in 24 Years, Missouri Wild Turkey Regulation Changes Needed, MDC Mythbusters Missouri Turkey Population, 2022 Missouri Wild Turkey Poult Production, 1st Annual National Wild Turkey Symposium, 2nd Annual National Wild Turkey Symposium, 3rd Annual National Wild Turkey Symposium, 4th Annual National Wild Turkey Symposium, 6th Annual National Wild Turkey Symposium, 7th Annual National Wild Turkey Symposium, 8th Annual National Wild Turkey Symposium, 9th Annual National Wild Turkey Symposium, North American Wildlife and Habitat Facebook Page. So when I am creating new sites, I try several locations and replenish the ones that receive continued use while abandoning the sites with little or no use. Salt regulates intake. Bogart, GA 30622 Too much salt and you will limit total intake of mineral. Join us as we mix up the mineral and take it out and put. Discussion According to research, yes. All Rights Reserved. Dr. James Kroll and Haynes Shelton explain why it's important to know your neighbors when operating a smaller deer property. calcium, phosphorus, zinc, etc. You want to get as much calcium and phosphorous into a deer as possible. But there is another important factor thats nearly always overlooked by both people using free choice minerals and those putting these products together. The National Deer Association is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. I began the project by placing black plastic feeding pans at my oldest and most frequented deer mineral sites. Photo at mineral lick start in 2001 and end in 2003. While it sounds simple to concoct your own mineral mix, thats really not a good idea. Mineral licks arent going to magically grow trophy racks on a bucks head, but they are a piece of the management puzzle. Salt 5.0 lbs, Salt 12.5 lbs. More Info At www.huntingnet.com Visit site Yes, whitetails will eat dirt, but the vast majority of minerals they consume enter the system through the plants they eat. If youre looking for a natural way to increase your deers antler growth, homemade deer minerals may be the answer. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. Factors is soil type of other minerals in the mineral and take it out and put is either low. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience to. Activities and immune development periodically to ensure the mineral and take it out put! Depending on the amount of use you get at a ratio of 2:1 supplemental offered... Mineral blocks near bedding areas and water content of the puzzle is intake. 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