Salt lick questions
 

I am considering putting out a salt lick. It is a 50 pound block of white salt, I have never done this before so here are the preliminary questions.

1. How long will this last?

2. Where should I locate it?

3. Would it be a good idea to dig a hole to where the top it is at ground level?

RE: Salt lick questions
 

Hey Taz,

Ive used a bunch of them, the best success ive had is to dig the ground up pretty good say 5-6 ft diameter, bust the block in half, then bust one of the halves into small pieces and mix it in with the dirt and put a gallon or two of water on it and leave the other half, half way burried, put it near a creek 50 or so yards is where i have best luck, any more??? let me know, add some deer cocaine to it, trust me it helps

RE: Salt lick questions
 

1 It depends on how much use it gets and how much rain you get. If it is sitting in a low spot that holds water it can disolve pretty quick. But don't worry the deer will still lick at the dirt.

2 Locate it someplace that has good deer traffic, it's not going to pull them from miles away. And if you can put it close to water that's good to, they will go from the salt to drink.

3 No need to bury it.

But better than just a salt block is a mineral lick. I use 1 part rock salt 1 part di calcium phosphate, and 2 parts red trace mineral salt. Get the ingrediants in 50lb sacks at the local feed store. So end up with about 200lbs of mineral for about $25

RE: Salt lick questions
 

Okay so my basic idea sounds good, I was going to dig the block down about ground level, rack the area up around it and mix in a 5 pound bag of salt, but I will do what you suggest instead.

Now where I was going to put it is going to be near a stream, would you say that soil that stays moist most of the time is better? Should I put it in the trail or off to one side? If off to the side how far? Can they smell it, another words how will they find it?

RE: Salt lick questions
 

put it to the side a few feet and yes they can smell it big time

RE: Salt lick questions
 

Well it sounds like I have a darn good spot I can put it in, about 20 yards from a pond and stream within 20 foot of several heavily used trails. The only thing that worries me is that I won't be able to hunt the area until the block is gone, hopefully it will be close to gone by Oct. when bow opens.

RE: Salt lick questions
 

Taz bust half the block up and put water on it so it will absorb in the ground if the other half is still there take it up 10 days before season opens it is legal

RE: Salt lick questions
 

I take a 50-50 mixture of trace mineral salt and di-cal and dig it in a hole about 3 foot diameter and mix with the dirt, preferably a red clay area.

RE: Salt lick questions
 

If your deer are like mine if its there they will use it. It should last a few month especially if it's mixed with the ground We've seen deer licking salt out of our cattle troughs. Don't worry just put it out Also it may take a week or two for them to start using it well

RE: Salt lick questions
 

Thanks for all the advise folks, of course it was raining when I got home yesterday so I couldn't put it out! Last time I went down in there it took a tractor to pull my truck out!!! I will wait until it drys out some and let you know how it works out! It should be fun luggin a 50 pound block of salt, shovel, rake, bucket and a 5 pound bag of salt back in there!!!!! :D

RE: Salt lick questions
 

Just think of the heck of a time your going to have to get that bruiser out of there.:D

RE: Salt lick questions
 

All I do is toss out a 25lb block of salt. The ones that people used to use in water softeners or cow salt blocks. Just toss it out there next to a main trail. When it's gone, just put another one out. Not that tough. lol Pretty cheap. Probably around $3-4 per block. It's good to have them out in spring too. Deer probably need salt the most in spring, but then again in fall when all the crops are maturing. I don't think that salt will bring in deer consistantly, but it will help in developement. I've tried that deer cocaine too. Pretty interesting when you come back to the spot and the deer have dug a two foot hole trying to get at all the mineral.

RE: Salt lick questions
 

Funny thing is the buck I killed there last year dressed at about 165-175 and he didn't seem as heavy as that block of salt!;)

RE: Salt lick questions
 

Sounds like someone needs a quad!

RE: Salt lick questions
 

I am not that OLD!!!!!:D[8D]

RE: Salt lick questions
 

yes you are

RE: Salt lick questions
 

It's illegal to hunt over one here in Indiana but I use one close to the house so the kids and visitors get to see deer.

I use one of those brown mineral blocks they sell for cattle and set it on a piece of flat limestone to keep it OFF the ground. I also put another piece of limestone about the same size as the block on top. this way it lasts about 10 times as long as if it is on the ground and wet all the time. The "topper" keeps the rain from just eroding it away.

The deer will lick the sides and the limestone both but what I've always seen most is they lick and eat the dirt so long as the minerals are getting in to it. Afte a year or two the area literally looks like hogs have wallowed it out and it stays wet and muddy all the time. There are fresh tracks in that mud everyday.

RE: Salt lick questions
 

Jack you can't hunt over one in Va. either, I will have to remove it 10 days before the season comes in.

RE: Salt lick questions
 

The salt blocks i put out last year are still partially there but the ground is getting ripped up around so i know they're using it.

RE: Salt lick questions
 

noone else said this but if you put it on a stump deer will love it the same but when it is gone the stump has a lot of salt in it.

i have a stump that we but a salt block on about 4 years ago and now that it is long gone i still see deer nibbling on the stump........good luck at getting a big one

RE: Salt lick questions
 

NOW,NOW TAZ..........DONT GO GETTIN YOUR FEATHERS ALL WRINKLED, U MIGHT JUST THROW YOUR BACK OUT AGAIN!:):D;)[8D]

RE: Salt lick questions
 

Try 100 pound bag of rock salt tilled into the soil.....deer will frequent the area for months to come...thats all we use...no blocks for us just rock salt.

RE: Salt lick questions
 

Taz,

Did you put some salt out and if so are they using it?????

RE: Salt lick questions
 

I just toss the salt block out and leave it. The deer will dig the hole eventually. The more it rains on it the better and the hotter it is the more they come to it. I always put mine out in early spring, April at the latest, and by hunting season, the salt block is gone but the rain has washed it in the ground and the deer will eat dirt out of the hole for a good while. Putting it out now want hurt anything and if it gets hot, you'll see some activity.