TeXLaXHunter

My dad and I have been thinking about gettting a few mineral-salt blocks for our place to see if the deer will use it and it causeing better antler growth from the bucks over the season. Does anyone know if these work because they are pretty expensive and before we buy one we would like to hear from other people if they work or if its just something to get people to buy that really doesnt work. And if it doesnt cause the antler growth to increase, does it at least make the deer healthier???

lunchbucket

There is a great deal of controversy regarding vitamin/mineral supplements and how much good they really do for deer. We feel confident that the quality supplements do give an increase to the animals. We have many clients that are located in poor soil areas with the small racks and have recieved what they feel is a great boost from the supplements. If you have been getting small racks for years off a piece of land and introduce the supplements and then start getting an increase to the animal in both body size/weight and antler production, we feel that is enough proof. Others feel different... If supplements work for humans then we would think they must be able to assist deer. Now, they type/brand of supplements is another thing. There is a great deal of difference in the supplements on the market. We feel any supplement which ontains over 20% salt will have a lesser effect as the salt content raises in the supplement to ratio of nutrient available in the product being considered. Read and compare...

Ballistictip

I agree with Lunchbucket. Vitamin/mineral supplements are important to deer and humans alike however I feel that the actual nutrition available in their food supply is far more important. I supplement my own diet with just about every vitamin and mineral available. Does this make me healthier? I feel like it does but not the supplements alone. I do my best to eat healthy foods and exercise regularly. All the supplements in the world can' t take the place of the good foods you eat. Deer are the same. If they do not get the proper nutrition in the foods they eat antler mass can' t reach it' s fullest potential.

Some vitamins and minerals are essential to digestion and others help to extract nutrition from the food. A lot of vitamins/minerals rely on others to do their job.There are many salt/mineral blocks on the market that are simply attractants that are of little value to the deer. Do some research and get the best, most beneficial salt blocks. I have a recipe for a mineral lick on my website below. The deer really like it and it does have good nutritional value.

CarolinaDeerSlayer

mineral salt blocks are cheap here...around $6.50 for a 50lb block. We have a place called The Farmers Supply where we get our stuff

whitetail1

a quality vitamin/mineral supplement are different than a salt block. after years of use with vitamin/mineral supplements the major difference i have noticed in our deer is heavier body weights starting with fawns.

wigmap

Basically, if you look at what everyone advertises it is the protein that adds muscle mass and antler mass. So if you are buying a block with a low % of protein I don' t think it will help much. All of the other nutrients are needed for what everyone else explained above, digestion what ever. If you want results fast protein building is the only way to go. Think about it, human body builders take creatine etc. and these protein bars from nutrition stores to build muscle etc. Straight protein is not the healthiest for the deer but the highest % of protein you can get plus some type of attractant to make them eat it provides the quickest results. Just remember the deer need the other nutrients as well. One last thing, age more than anything else is really what your deer probably need. Unless you have a limited supply of money which it sounds like you don' t we can' t feed them enough to produce large antlers in a short amount of time.

lunchbucket

Yes, first the antlers are protein then they mineralize. There is a process. Whatever you do, don' t give them salt blocks or the mineral salt blocks. The blocks are usually about 80% or more salt.

TeXLaXHunter

The reason I said expensive is because I looked on this site from this company that was dedicated just to the mineral blocks and other deer vitamins-grasses, etc.. And it was like 200$ for 3. But you can probably find them for about 7-20 per one at some hunting stores here.

lunchbucket

$200.00 for 3 blocks?

Ballistictip

Trace mineral blocks at Davidson Farmers Coop in Lexington, NC are $4.99 plus tax. I' ve never seen a block that I' d pay $66 for.