Salt Blocks
 

I hunt on my uncles farm in central Illinois, which was a cattle pasture, but is overgrown and no longer holds cows. I was wandering about salt blocks. He had a few out for his cows and the melted into the dirt. The deer have dug holes in the past two or three years. Is it legal to hunt near these holes?

RE: Salt Blocks
 

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT ILLINOIS BUT HERE IN KENTUCKY YOU CAN HUNT OVER LICKS. PRETTY SOON IF NOT ALREADY THE DEER WON'T BE HITTING THE LICKS VERY MUCH AT ALL. BUT IF I WAS YOU I WOULD GET A DEER CANE BLOCK FROM WAL-MART AND PUT IT DIRECTLY IN THE HOLE THAT THE DEER HAVE ALREADY DUG OUT, YOU'LL BE AMAZED AT HOW MUCH MORE THE DEER WILL DIG TO GET IT. COULDN'T HURT.

RE: Salt Blocks
 

I would imagine they would tell you that it is not legal since the soil contains an attractant that was put there by man and not a natural accurance, and the minetrals in the soil are not there for the benifit of the cattle , and the fact that you know that the cattle are no longer present and you know the mineral deposits are there in the soil not for the cattles benifit but now solely for the benifit of wild animals and deer....that the site is considered baited... unless you remove all soil conataining the attractant and then wait ten days after removal before you hunt the site......... But I may be wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!..................You need to contact the IDNR for clarification!!!!! You really dont want to be stradeling the fence on hunting legality issues with the IDNR................ hunt fair, hunt legal and you'll have no worries... none of it is worth risking your Hunting Rights.
In the case of .....if the cattle were still present it would be legal to have out salt or mineral lick attractants with the intention of for use by the cattle or other livestock... the deer frequenting the lick would be secondary and not the intended use of the licks.

RE: Salt Blocks
 

It is going to depend on the conservation department in your state. If they see as a natural substance or as bait. Here in missouri it is legal to hunt over salt and mineral licks because these are natural substance from the ground. they view it the same as hunting a cornfield. But some states don't believe that.

Here is something you should also consider. If you wanted to help the deer you could put out a mineral mix and just not hunt over it. I have minerals on all my properties and do not hunt over any of them. I want the deer to fell safe coming into ther lick9 after all it is fore there benifit.).

You can a mineral mix for about $23 dollors for 200 LBS that is the same as what you by at the store and all ingrediants can be boiught at the local coop. this will do more good than just straight salt. if you would like the recipe I would be glad to post it for you.

RE: Salt Blocks
 

It depends on you state. and what they concider bait and if it leagle to hunt over bait.

If i was to add to it I would put in a few suffler salt blocks.

we use the here for the cows. it helps keep bugs away from them.

RE: Salt Blocks
 

In Illinois it is Illegal to feed wilddeer or bait or hunt over bait or mineral licks for wilddeer wilddeer.

RE: Salt Blocks
 

If the mineral was deposited for the sole purpose of farming cattle, even though the cattle are now gone, wouldn't the deposit count as natural agricultural practices???
It was never put there for attracting deer from what I read in your post.

RE: Salt Blocks
 

This is what my questions were about. The blocks were put there for cattle and are about three years old. They were not put there for deer. I know it is illegal to bait and feed deer in IL, but I am doing neither. The deer just use it.

RE: Salt Blocks
 

yes according to the illinois hunting rules it is illegal, but being from il. myself i have to wonder why every fall you can buy all kinds of mineral products anywhere. but only during hunting saeson. in the off season youcant find the stuff anywhere. surely it is not used to bait hunting spots:eek:

RE: Salt Blocks
 

Here in western Iowa at our landfill the trucks always stopped at the same spot on the driveway. Well the slarf would run out of the truck (like liquid) and on to the driveway. The driveway is made with 2 inch limestone and the deer have dug a hole about a foot deep right in the middle of the driveway eating the soil. Must be something they need in that stuff or why bother. By the way this spot is about 10 yards from the building where you check in to dump. The guy who runs it is a deer hunter and he said he could have shot alot of deer out of there but he didn't think it was morale. I agree with him. You should look at the moralitity of this and ask yerself the same ?