Salt ?? Interesting and informative article at www.saltinstitute.org

I plan on adding to my existing mineral licks this weekend w/ the above mixture.. and possibly creating a few others. I had been using a commercial mix from a local source that has a strong sweet smell to it. Should I add some molasses or something to help the deer find the new licks?

I checked at Tractor Supply Company for the above items.. I found the trace mineral and the salt.. but they didn't have any pure Dical... They had several stock animal mixtures that had Dical, trace mineral, salt, ect in it.. Do I need the pure stuff or just use one of the mixtures?
Just wondering before I head to the CO-OP in the morning.

I always buy the pure stuff and mix it myself. 1. it is cheaper that way 2. You know you are getting enough of what they need. You don't have to put anything with it, they will find it without it. I will guarantee they will find. Just don't expect over night results. It has taken me three years to just start seeing the results. This will be the 4th year and I am hoping to see some good bucks.

Well I checked all the local farm stores and couldn't find the Dical locally (CO-OP closed for the long weekend).. so I went one of the farm stores and I read the labels on all the bags and ended up w/ some "multi purpose mineral 4% phos" stuff meant for cattle. It was about $6 per 50# bag. It had 20-24% salt, 20-24 % calcium, 4% phosphorous, ect... I mixed 1 part of that w/ 1 part of trace mineral. I figured that would be about the same as the mixture above. I bought 2 bags of each and only spend $22 for 200#. I added it where my old lick had been established (4' circle about a foot deep).. and a new lick near are newly planted food plot (red clover, alfalfa bailer mix, and some antler king honey hole).

I did have one question... do the deer eat the mineral.. or does it absorb into the soil like the commercial stuff? Needless to say.. my dad was suprised when the multi purpose mineral looked just like the commercial stuff he'd been buying for $20 for a 10# bucket. [8D][8D]

any local hunting shop sould have salt blocks or mineral licks for really cheap or check out somewhere like tractor supply co. they have salt blocks up to like 40# but ive seen several recipies online for do it your self things but its probably cheaper to buy a block even the 40# is like $5 i believe and they work great

It's my understanding that deer get very little from the blocks.. so granular is much better. The stuff I bought was also available at TSC... The cost on the granular is about the same as the blocks also...

Look - there isn't much risk in putting out excessive salt - I mean - the deer aren't going to die from to much salt - the question is what do you want to accomplish?

If its to attract deer - then ANY SALT works great from April-August - but does little to hold any deer to a specific location for hunting season. In fact, it would be RARE indeed to have much activity at all on a lick in Oct/Nov (save maybe a fawn or two),

Why not put out a salt/mineral mix for lactating does in May/June, and possibly through July. If the lick helps antler growth - Great - but don't bet on it - Its never been really well proven to help antler growth very much.

I posted the homemade deer recipe a few years ago. See it is still a hot topic. Thought you might like the reason why and place the recipe will always be.

http://www.mosportsmen.com/nwtfhabitatprostaff.htm#why

Hey Horntagger whats up? Yes I am using your recipe and with great success as you can see. I talked with a biologist from MDC and he told me this is about the best you can offer deer. Thanks for putting it out there.


KBacon - I have to go to MFA or a local coop to get the strait Di-Cal. The local farm supplies and the local Tractor supplies does not carry it. I think you will be saftified with the results you see over the summer. You won't see much use out of them until after the rut once the weather cools down [or at least I don't] You will also need to repleanish it after the 1st 6 months then yearly after that.

Also to answer your question Yes. they will eat the mineral and it will obsorb into the ground. then they will eat the dirt when it obsorbs into the ground.

Things are going well.

Just for example. To make 200 lbs of this mineral but using the store bought stuff that come white and has a name well known.

Would cost you 280 dollars.

I have also bought it at a Co-op Service Center.

The loose kind is what you buy.

Helpful hints from horntagger:

One is best times to put it out is Feburary/March/April and I put all 200 lbs in one hole. This time of year will help more with antler growth, and fawn health.

Also do not make multiple licks unless you are on large tracts of land. Remember deer herd homerange is around 800 acres.

Also keep it in one spot so near the center or the the spot you start hunting. Keeping the deer on our land for the most amount of time increase your odds.

Also I like a water source to be within 100 yards since salt is being used.

If you put it out in the late summer just put 100lbs won't do as much for them now other than salt requirements. But will be a slight draw. Because of shedding of the summer coat begins around August , the deer need the salt so that is the next best time of year to replenish if needed.

new wrinkle I need to add about Mineral licks. Since the September 15th is now Bow season. I highly recommend you hunt over the mineral lick around this time.

I have an untested theory. Your next season will give me answer on this.

One last thing when you put it out do it under a low hanging limb it will end up being a scape also in the same spot.