In my opinion minerals are a difficult question. With all of the other variables how can we tell what the effect is on a free ranging deer herd by putting minerals on the ground. The only way we would know for sure would be in a very controlled environment and I haven't seen any studies that conclusively show the effects of an increase in mineral supplements. With all of that said, as cheap as mineral supplements are I think that it sure doesn't hurt to use them.

slobbyrobby........I got that same recipe from this website about a year and a half ago. Its way way cheaper and the deer work it over pretty good. Some spots more than others. I haven't figured out why they use one site more than another yet, but I'm working on it! I have 6 mineral licks on our property.

Example of savings: I used to spend about $20 for 25 lb bags of a commercial brand or about $320 a year!

A couple weeks ago I picked up 1000 lbs. bagged in 50 lb bags at my local feed mill. COST $141.00 tax included. Thats $14.10 per 100 lb. bag. Now my 400 pounds of minerals cost $56.40! WOW!

You don't need to get 1000 lbs from your local feed mill, usually they mix batched of 500 lbs and up. I got 1000 lbs because a friend wanted to put some out on his property.

Good Luck!

I think you should locate mineral licks no further than 100 yards from a water source.

cloud 9 I live in sauk rapids, and was wondering where you bought your minerals from.. And your mixture for this area. Thank you

From what I've learned there is really no risk to your deer herd by putting out salt. I'm not an expert or anything but I do have a degree in wildlife management. The red mineral blocks are probably your best bet because they contain other minerals that have been identified as needed micronutrients by some experts. The effectiveness of salt blocks depends on the availability of natural licks in your area.

You need to decide if you want to improve the health of you animals with mineral vitamin supplements or just get a hole dug on your property.

While salt is required in a deer's diet it is not a antler building mineral and very small amounts are needed. It's similar to ice cream for humans in it produces nothing much used in rack production for deer other than it tastes good and is attractive during the spring and summer months.

If holes are what you want then use salt, it's cheap. If you want to build quality animals by offering them minerals and vitamins possibly missing in their diets you better use something more than salt. I suggest low sodium mineral vitamin supplements. From what I've read, anything over 40% salt is really wasting money. Some of the most popular products are as low as 1.5% salt. To me that sounds more like what you would want.

I have never understood how so-called experts say mineral supplements are of no value to deer. Farmers use mineral vitamin supplements on horses, cows, pigs, chickens, fish and just about every animal in the world that people want to improve in size. Why not deer? It just doesn't make sense. The animals mentioned above are usually fed quality feed and forage on high quality foods and deer are expected to forage the woods and reach their potential...............impossible.

Salt is fine but in very small amounts, just enough to make them eat the good stuff.

I think this forum has too many people trying to see how cheap they can hunt. Not how effectively. They want to save money on the most important things and blow it on the latest camo patterns. Don't get hung up on saving $50 on nutrition when you have a $30,000 4 wheel drive, $6,000 4-wheeler, $1,000 in land cost (understated), $1,000's in clothes and other crap. Feeding the deer the absolute best minerals, food plot forages and practice good deer management. It's cheap based on what you get and it's the only thing you do to improve the animal quality.

It's not a matter of wheter you use regular salt or a mineral block. Either one will pull in deer and "make a hole" as you put it. However, if you want to actually benefit the local deer population using mineral blocks is the best choice.

Someone who claims mineral supplements are no good to deer was probably misinformed or talking about a certain geographic area only.

It really does vary depending on whether or not the local diet of deer satisfies thier mineral needs. In some places forage is sufficient to supply minerals. In other places it is not.

There is also evidence that preference for salt and mineral licks is influenced by gender. At least in one study (Atwood et al. 2003) found that females preferred mineral licks in fall and spring, but they preferred salt licks in summer. Males prefered salt licks in summer.

This is probably due to the females increased mineral demand from lactation in the spring, and pregnancy in the fall.

Males and females seek salt in the hottest times of the year as common sense would dictate.

The bottom line is if you want to lessen any possible impacts to lactation or antler growth by limited nutrient availability then put out mineral blocks, or both salt and minerals.

I haven't begun to master how you guys reply to threads, posts and replys but let me say one more thing in response to BrutalAttacks reply to my reply. Mineral blocks just don't get it, I had it explained to me by a animal nutritionalist. He compared a deer's use of trace mineral blocks to a man dying of thirst licking an ice cube. The animal just can't get enough off the block to help. My experiences with granular minerals has been much better. In fact I've got two blocks on my lease that I put out two years ago. It frustrates me every time I see them. But, it reminds me why I use granular.

Use quality, it doesn't cost it pays.

I really don't care what form the mineral supplement takes. Nor was that the point of my post. Use blocks, use pellets, use freaking liquid it doesn't matter. What matters is that the minerals are available to them.

You are exactly right. No matter how you get mineral to the deer but.........there are few if any block made that carry a high enough percentage of antler building minerals or vitamins to do much good and there is no liquid mineral made that does much at all. All the liquids are only attractants. If a company claims otherwise they are pulling your leg. Should you doubt me check the tags on either blocks or liquids. I'll bet you'll The only freaking way to get anything accomplished is granular and it needs to be around 40% salt or less............unless you just want a hole dug. (prior reply)