JfO9

Hey everyone. I've been reading through here for the last year or so, not even sure if i have any posts haha.

Anyway this is my second season hunting so i'm trying to learn as much as i can from everyone here. I went and bought a mineral lick and some deer corn today and put about 1/4 of the corn out (50 lb bag) in the area that i hunt, i also put the mineral lick out as well. My question is how often should i return to the area to restock the food? I dont want to be in there to much and spook all the deer off but i want them to have a reliable source so that when i hunt the area there is a better chance of them stopping by.

What does everyone think?

Thanks for the help!

7MMXBOLT

That would all depend on how many deer are in the area. In order to know that you probably should have a camera set up near your bait pile. Honestly, putting out only 1/4 of a 50lbs bag probably won't last the night. I would have dumped the whole bag myself. Not only will the deer eat it but so will just about any other critter in the area once they find it. I would give it a few days and check on how much was eaten.

Mineral licks are best used to help promote healthy antler growth and they normally take a while to establish. I would recommend you start those in the late winter to early spring and replenish it every 2-3 months. They really work best if you find an area that is sandy so that when it rains it melts into the soil. Then keep putting the blocks in the same place each time. The deer will paw the ground to get at those minerals. Not saying your waisting your time and money with this block but have a plan for next season by finding the best spot to start a mineral station. I would also advise not hunting over your mineral stations. Allow the deer their space where they are less likely to encounter human activity if you want to reap the full benifits. If they get spooked out of there to many times they will be less likely to visit it and that's what you don't want.


Good luck

JfO9

Thanks for the help. From the sounds of if i'll be leaving the mineral block where it is for now but thank you for the tips for next season. I'll head out and dump the rest of the bag later in the week, i was hoping to hunt this weekend. Should i just go out tomorrow and dump the rest of the bag or should i wait till mid week and dump it?

Either way i'll be out there this weekend what would be my best bet to get something?

7MMXBOLT

I would check it in a few days and dump the rest of it then. Just give it at least a couple days before you hunt it to cool off. Try to avoid getting your scent on every bush or tree branch as much as possible. They may even surprise you and not be too bothered by your scent in the area...they can be funny like that! But why take a chance. Don't be too surprised if they only visit the bait at night only because they do the majority of their feeding at night. You have to remember they are prey and preditors mostly feed at night also so the deer need to be on their feet and alert. If you keep it well stocked, over time they will visit it more often as their natural food sources depleat.

JfO9

Thanks. Yeah i try to get in an out as quietly and scent free as possible. I've been in the area a few times and put some apples out and they were gone really fast. I'll probably let it sit tomorrow and dump the rest on tuesday. Do you think that will give it enough time to settle for the weekend? No trail camera is in my future any time soon, i'm on a college budget so its pretty bare bones for a while haha. Hopefully they find it and like it though.

Thanks again for the help. I'm slowly learning the ins and outs of hunting. A lot of it is common sense but its nice to be able to learn from other people's experiences as well.

The Outdoorsman

7MMXBOLT is correct, a 1/4 bag wont cut it thru the nite. I have laid a 50lb bag out and the following weekend the only thing left was the bag. It is something you would want to do for awhile to get deer on a constant visit to the area. Another option to look into is a deer feeder (if legal in your state). You can put more than one bag in the feeder and they have timers on them to spread the corn/feed out onto the ground, that way its not eaten up in one or two days. I know you mentioned being on a college budget but this is just an idea for the future.

JfO9

Thanks for the tips but i wont be buying any extra gear this season, maybe next...

Do you guys think i should put the rest of the corn out this evening or wait till later?

The Outdoorsman

Put it out now if it were me in your situation.

pyclub1

you want it there when the deer are there. I would put it out and keep checking, check in 3 days, if it's gone then put it out and check in 2 days, etc etc. you want it out prior to hunting, if you put it out and then hunt it the deer may not come into it, let them get comfortable coming in there and not being skiddish. I used to bait and I would bait for a month before even hunting the stand. Have multiple stands and baits out if you are going to sit bait, every time you go into the stand the more conscious the deer become of your presence. If you have a few spots that you can sit then you can rotate stands and not put so much pressure on just one spot. Good luck to you. Hope to see some successful pics from ya...

JfO9

I'll definitely let you guys know if i get anything. I'm gonna hunt the area this weekend so i'll let everyone know how it goes.

Thanks again for all the help