I have heard those homemade mixes work great and seen it on friends land firsthand. Deer really tear it up.

I bought a bag of one of those commercial mixes the two years ago and nothing touched the area. However, I didn't see any bucks whatsoever until the rut so the traffic wasn't exactly there. This year, I've got several yearling bucks tearing that spot I prepared up two years ago.

I also went out and bought a regular salt block and a cattle mineral block, dug shallow holes for each, placed them in the holes, and smashed them into about four or five pieces each. Easier for the deer to lick and it disentegrates better into the soil that way.The deer seem to have taken a liking to those areas as well - the holes are getting deeper and I see them licking them on my trail cams.

Bottom line, my opinion is if you can do it yourself, I'd go that route versus buying the mixes. But the mixes are more convenient - and they often go on sale at the end of season.