RE: mineral stations in wooded areas
Yes sir, mineral stations will work in the woods. I'd recommend finding an old stump or something and scraping out a little area around it and putting your mineral supplements there. As far as what to use, we've had great success with Whitetail Insitute's 30-06, we start pouring it out in the early spring and the deer tear the ground to pieces trying to find more and more of it. I think 30-06 is one of the best on the market as the protein helps increase the doe's ability to lactate, thus producing more milk and a stronger survival rate amongst the fawns. Of course, I'm sure there are other mineral supplements out there (Lucky Buck, perhaps?) I just tend to reallllly trust the people at the Whitetail Institute.
As far as hunting near the stations, deer will not continue to eat on some mineral supplements during the hunting seasons (I only speak for VA of course), but if you have one that they will eat on then you would definitely benefit from hunting near it. However, that brings up another question as to whether you find it ethical to hunt where you have been providing food for the deer.