The other ingredients for homemade deer minerals are a little bit of a variation on the classic white earth minerals found in the Indian spice-infused spices. What does all this mean to the average deer hunter and manager? This is especially true of dried molasses, which deer love. As I previously mentioned, intake is a vital factor when formulating a mineral or protein supplement or complete feed. That means their expected consumption should be 0.21 to 0.42 ounces per head, per day. An easy and beneficial mineral recipe for whitetail deer and an aid in antler. Type of mineral formulation affected total deer use of baited sites, with a high salt formulation receiving over four times the number of daily visits from deer as other formulations. 2 parts Trace mineral salt, the red and loos kind without the medications. I've used all manner of commercial mineral products over the years, and I've also epxerimented with my own blends. But I think the aroma of the added products -- the general purpose mineral in the blend above -- helps deer find the location faster and may add some level of taste value as well. WATCH: Where to Place Minerals for the Best Results. Simply use a bucket with nearby pond or creek water to do this. EXPLORE OTHER MEDIA 360 PROPERTIES FOR OUTDOORS ENTHUSIASTS, Hot Gear: Protect Your Phone, Docs with Confidence, Ultralight Tactical Tomahawk The Proven Multipurpose Outdoor Tool. Obvious dietary differences dictated that this information might only be elementary when it came to whitetails. Important Note: Minerals on their own are bitter, so be sure to mix in plenty of salt to attract the deer. In this edition of "Big Buck Profile," Gordon Whittington talks with young whitetail hunter Reid Crawford about his trophy buck taken in 2017. To make a homemade deer mineral lick, gather ingredients for the mix. Help us continue producing great, educational content by joining the National Deer Association or making a tax-deductible donation. Find an area located in some cover close to the water source. Part 1, Importance of Soil pH. 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. When spring rolls around, hunters everywhere gear up to begin establishing or recharging the mineral sites on their hunting properties. During the summer, finding locations that deer frequent often can be tough. Attraction to salt is caused by the balance of potassium and sodium in the deers body. Deer prefer mineral sites that are in cover as opposed to out in the open. The diacalcium phosphate costs about $25 to $30 and the trace-mineral salt is about $12 to $15 per bag. I believe that when properly provided, minerals can increase the productivity and quality of a deer herd. But adding a mineral site to the mix has been the ticket for me. Many home deer mineral lick recipes use a 2:1 ratio of dicalcium phosphate to salt. For example, in much of South Texas (which is broadly deficient in P), low rainfall makes trying to grow traditional food plots a fools errand. Instead, we apply 50 pounds per acre of triple-superphosphate (0-45-0) fertilizer to native brush. This will help you determine if the lick is being used, and if it needs to be moved or replenished. 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. All Rights Reserved. Build your own deer base is designed to make your own deer mineral using individual ingredients or you can add it to either your current mineral to make it more fortified. 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Deer will consume anywhere between 1 to 5 percent of their body weight each day, depending on the time of year, with winter consumption being on the low end of the scale and summer consumption being on the higher end. Lucky Buck Apple Flavored Deer Attractant 4. Be sure its in close proximity to a good tree for a trail camera, too. WATCH: 3 Things Youre Doing Wrong with Your Mineral Sites. So mineral supplementation wont show any antler effect for at least a year. One is to start by hanging your cameras on the fringes and then work your way toward bedding areas if deer movement warrants it. The ingredients include Trace mineral salt, Di-calcium phosphate, and dried molasses. This should be followed by developing a food-plot or native-plant fertilization program to ameliorate any deficiencies. But why do they use these licks and why is their use restricted primarily to the spring and summer? 2023 Grand View Outdoors All Rights Reserved Research on domestic livestock has documented numerous benefits of mineral supplementation including increased forage intake, improved forage digestion, and increased reproductive success. Strongly consider buying a bag of rice bran or other attractant like apple extract that may entice deer to eat the minerals. Dicalcium Phosphate - #50 - $20.10. The white earth minerals work well if you want to add . I began the project by placing black plastic feeding pans at my oldest and most frequented deer mineral sites. This being said, there are many variables at play and these results certainly do not provide a definite answer. 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They have a bit of a red pepper tint and some of the seeds are green. This is a great way to add to your water table (and your wallet) by using natural minerals to add to water. All Rights Reserved. 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. What Are Arrows Shot From Untuned Bows Likely to Do. Here are some best practices for placing a homemade mineral lick on your property: By following these best practices for placing a homemade deer mineral lick, you can ensure that your deer will have access to important minerals in a safe and comfortable area. 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. 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. Predator Hunting (Coyote, Bobcat, Fox, Wolf, Cougar, etc. In so doing, we get fantastic response from the deer herd. 2 parts Trace mineral salt, the red and loos kind without the medications. While there are a number of commercial products available to create mineral licks, a more affordable and perhaps better option is to drive down to your local feed and seed or farmers co-op and buy a 50-pound bag of dicalcium phosphate and one or two 50-pound bag of trace-mineral salt. Granular these minerals are added to the soil, and deer get them by consuming the minerals and/or soil/minerals mixture. Calcium and phosphorus are important for bone growth, while magnesium helps to regulate muscle and nerve function. 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. There are three main types of mineral supplements. What Minerals Should Be Included in a Homemade Deer Mineral Lick? Farm B had a total of eight adult deer using the deer mineral site, five of which used the site on a daily basis. Using these products is not a guaranteed way to increase antler growth, but they do have several benefits that can make your deers life more enjoyable and successful. Basically, the deer will tell you where they like to eat. Rice bran is around $10 for a 40-pound bag. 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. For about $50 or less, you can buy all the ingredients you need to make several productive and quality mineral sites for deer. 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. However, there must be enough salt in the product for the deer to be attracted to it. Gordon Whittington talks with 13-year-old Troy Metzger about the 2016 hunt that landed the young man a monster non-typical buck on this edition of Big Buck Profile. ). It takes food, shelter, and time to reach the antler growth stage. However, these body sources of calcium and phosphorus provide only a portion needed for optimum antler growth. You can use a 1:1 or 2:1 (two parts salt and one part dicalcium phosphate) ratio for your mineral site. Salt alone doesnt contain all the minerals bucks need for antler growth, nor does it provide what's essential for does, fawn development and milk production. As you can imagine, after a deer paws up and eats a bunch of salty dirt, its going to need a drink. Of course, the other macro- and micro-nutrients should be included in lesser amounts. Whitetail Institute Mineral for Deer 5. Stan Potts doubles down in Montana and Wyoming. I've done more research on this that I care to disclose, but from . Making deer mineral licks is not a hassle and you can do it on your own in a few simple steps. To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine. 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. A good rule of thumb is about one site per 100 acres of property. Dicalcium Phosphate Mix the ingredients above with 1 part dicalcium phosphate. The Importance of Knowing Intake The best time to put out these mineral blocks is in February/March/April. And make sure you locate your mineral site near a water source, because deer will need to drink after theyve eaten minerals. #1. Dig a shallow hole and loosen the soil before adding your minerals. There is little question that increased mineral nutrition can improve your deer herd, and now that you know what to expect for intake, you can use this information to make sure your mineral product is performing as it should. 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. A lot is made over the power of mineral sites to grow antlers and create a healthier deer population. Monitor the lick and the deer activity around it regularly. Using a 32oz cup mix 1-cup dicalcium phosphate 2-cups trace mineral salt and 1-cup rock salt (ice cream salt) into 5-gallon bucket. 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? Granular minerals seem to work better than blocks, as most of the usage of blocks occurs in the surrounding dirt as the minerals leach into the soil. Increased aggression by certain deer (usually adult does) that guard the site will decrease the number of deer utilizing that particular location. 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. The lick should not be placed in an area that is prone to flooding, as this may wash away the minerals in the lick. This final and vital piece of the puzzle is daily intake. Give a Gift Most commercially-made products are going to run about $20 a bag and each bag will service one site for a couple of months. Site by Gray Loon. Heavy deer rub activity along this interior path This makes deer actively seek out concentrated sources of sodium such as natural or manmade licks. 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. Farm A had an average number of 11 adult deer using the site on a daily basis. Its a bountiful area that produces wheat, corn and beef cattle that feed thousands of people around the world. During gestation and lactation does have high requirements for calcium and magnesium. 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. Around $ 10 for a trail camera, too mineral blocks is in February/March/April the... 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