I agree with the purchase at the feed store or farm supply store, but I do purchase the one with minerals, I can't say it does any good, but in one area where I used it for several years I think I did notice a slight increase in the antler formation. it has also been my experience that these blocks, mineral or salt, are not used as much as some would have you believe, it has also been my experience that these blocks are favored highly by bear, so placement should be a consideration, (jmop) Doc

ps JPike, nice pictures!!!!!!!!!!

Doc, thanks!! I normally purchase the generic trace mineral blocks as well (the brown blocks) but this past year when I stopped by the feed store to replace two of my blocks they were out so I tried a couple of the plain old white salt blocks just to see how the deer used them compared to the generic trace mineral blocks.
I agree with you 100% that mineral supplements are not used as much as some would have you believe, thats why I asked tim to post pics of just one deer over a 6 month time period etc. because most deer will not visit them enough to be beneficial even if mineral supplements did benefit deer in anyway.
For example below are pics of a buck that visited my mineral sites maybe 12-14 different times over a 4-5 month period, if a person bought the best vitamin ever made and that money could buy and only took them 12-14 days over a 4-5 month period they see any positive results either. Pike

No I didnt fail to take anything into consideration, thats also why I asked tim to post pics of just one specific deer.
Also I never claimed mine was better, the salt in the mineral supplements I use is not any better or worse than the salt in the supplements tim uses. Mine are just alot cheaper. Pike

Great!! Lets see the pics. Pike

I was wrong, i read your post wrong admitted mistake.

But, on that note, how do u take into consideration the food supply ( salt/lick supply included ) that he has around his property, who knows maybe the next guy over has salt everywhere and deer dont need to visit his licks as much, versus your case ( i dont know im just saying ) could be your the only one putting salt in the area.


the point im making is you cant make your point based on just pictures of you getting more/better use of your licks versus his, maybe the deer in his area dont need salt as much as yours? You can make a claim and support it, but too many variables to try to compare , unless it was on same property or at least close by.

Jest my $0.02............ Using a salt/mineral station for the critters REALLY does work. We started using it about 5 years ago on our hunting club and have noticed increased antler size. Certainly NOT a scientific analysis, but it makes us happy. We use the "white" and "brown" cow blocks near the watering holes. Even tried the "water softener salt" that you use in your household water softening system, and believe it or not, the critters prefer that. We just pour it on an old stump or rotten log and before you know it, the stump/log is GONE as well as a lot of the soil in/around the area.

I purchased several gallons of Deer Cane from Wally World after the season for next to nothing. iam planning on starting a lick this spring. I was wondering what you guys thought about this product? I have a spot picked out in a hardwood draw with asmall waterhole in it. approx. 100x100 ft.

Already took those things into consideration as well.
We both live over 20 miles away from any coastline and because of this fact both of our herds diet is deficient in sodium just like every other herd that resides over 20 miles from a coastline.
Second I seriously doubt that Tim and his neighbors have more mineral sites than we do.
Here is pics of MOST (but not all) of our sites. Pike