The first and most beneficial is to pour the GYT90 crude soybean oil and mineral mixture over supplemental feed. Deer prefer mineral sites that are in cover as opposed to out in the open. Its best to get started as soon as spring green-up starts taking place, but keeping minerals out year-round is better. In a large bowl, mix together the plain salt, white sugar, trace mineral salt, ground limestone, dolomite lime, and Epsom salt. I then placed cameras at each one of the sites to monitor usage. Spread evenly the remainder of the bag of salt. Ingredients: Makes 200 lbs. By using 1-2.5 lb bag of B.Y.O Deer Base to create 25 lbs of deer mineral, you will have the most bio available deer mineral in the market place. Dig a whole 2-3" deep by about 3 feet across. In the above video, I share a simple recipe for making about 100 pounds of the mix for less than $40. Maybe I'm overly paranoid but I don't like adding persimmon-scented products in an area where persimmons don't grow. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Weve put together one of the best deer mineral recipe articles for you to try at home. This interferes with efficient sodium conversion in the body and increases the need for sodium. If you notice no deer sign after a few weeks, then mix in more salt to the site. Plain Stock Salt - #50 - $4.30. Deer will be less likely to visit the lick if there is too much human presence. Because of the large quantities of minerals required for antler growth, whitetails have developed the ability to bank calcium and phosphorus in their skeletons and then transfer these minerals during antler growth. Comes in 50lb Bags, you need one bag. TOTAL - #200 - $59.60. In this edition of "Big Buck Profile," Gordon Whittington talks with young whitetail hunter Reid Crawford about his trophy buck taken in 2017. You must log in or register to reply here. I group these factors into two categories non-nutritional and nutritional factors. The National Deer Association is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. They concluded that soil phosphorus levels were the best indicator of body size, probably because phosphorus deficient soils are common throughout the United States. Mineral sites do exactly that. Additionally, a homemade deer mineral lick can also include minerals like iron, manganese, and cobalt to provide additional health benefits. My best advice here is to use an attractant with an aroma or flavor that's natural to your area. Dicalcium Phosphate - #50 - $20.10. Even taking all of this into consideration, I believe that, at the very least, the results strongly suggest that the intake of free choice minerals is substantially lower than 1 to 2 ounces per head per day. The ingredients include Trace mineral salt, Di-calcium phosphate, and dried molasses. If deer were lacking minerals, why wouldnt they use the pure mineral supplement even if salt wasnt present? Just be sure to buy and use them in conjunction with an EPA-registered water filter. Place the lick in an area that has good soil drainage. The best time to put out these mineral blocks is in February/March/April. The 2 most important elements on a tag are the calcium levels and phosphorous levels. Gordon Whittington talks with 13-year-old Troy Metzger about the 2016 hunt that landed the young man a monster non-typical buck on this edition of Big Buck Profile. Dump no more than 25 lbs per deer lick per application, Lightly kick a little dirt on top of the mineral to make it apear as natural as possible. Trace mineral salt contains mostly salt, which is what the deer are actually looking for, and various other trace amounts of minerals such as zinc, manganese, iron all of which are found in hardened deer antler. You can use a 1:1 or 2:1 (two parts salt and one part dicalcium phosphate) ratio for your mineral site. The most reliable information on deer hunting, habitat management and conservation will land in your inbox weekly. An easy and beneficial mineral recipe for whitetail deer and an aid in antler. One is to start by hanging your cameras on the fringes and then work your way toward bedding areas if deer movement warrants it. Back in the early 1970s, two men came to visit me at the Institute for White-tailed Deer Management & Research in Texas. If you plan to use a mineral mix for deer, you may need to increase the concentration of salt over time. They have just about every option available to them. Calcium and phosphorus are important for bone growth, while magnesium helps to regulate muscle and nerve function. Homemade Fortified Deer Block Bootleg Outdoors 146K views 5 years ago Mineral licks for deer Kosmo's Blackdog Outdoors 36K views 6 years ago You're signed out of YouTube Sign in to like. Increased aggression by certain deer (usually adult does) that guard the site will decrease the number of deer utilizing that particular location. Could the use of salt/mineral mixes simply be due to an increased need for salt? Choose a location that is away from human activity, like your house or outbuildings. Getting your food plots back on track. People have used corn, apples, cherries, and salt in a variety of ways to bring deer into an area near a hunting blind or deer stand. Originally came off the QDMA website, but I can't find it know. But there is another important factor thats nearly always overlooked by both people using free choice minerals and those putting these products together. Nutrient levels mean virtually nothing if you do not at least have an approximate idea of how much of a product the deer are consuming. Farm B had a total of eight adult deer using the deer mineral site, five of which used the site on a daily basis. Gordon Whittington talks with Steven Sprout about the trophy buck he took back in 1998 while bowhunting public land in Illinois. Pull up a seat and join us. B.Y.O Deer Base also contains, magnesium, sulfur, potassium as well as all the essential trace minerals and vitamins needed by deer. Here are some deer mineral recipe tips and tactics to get your whitetails as healthy as they can be. Powdered sugar brings the sweetness deer crave as the winter approaches. After all, it sure looks that way. 2023 National Deer Association, All Rights Reserved. It takes food, shelter, and time to reach the antler growth stage. To make a homemade deer mineral lick, gather ingredients for the mix. Matt Harper is a deer nutrition specialist from Iowa. This is in contrast to animals with horns that are made of keratin (like fingernails), that do not shed, and need only protein to increase the growth their horns. But adding a mineral site to the mix has been the ticket for me. Simply use a bucket with nearby pond or creek water to do this. They can feed darned near anywhere as browse is abundant and crops are plentiful. Could the use of salt/mineral mixes simply be due to an increased need for salt? Also, slightly burying the pan helped to ensure the mineral would not be spilled. 12/12 Trace Mineral - #100 - $35.20. Making your own deer mineral lick can be a simple and cost-effective way to help increase the odds that your hunt will be successful. To begin with the non-nutritional category, location is critical. They know that deer typically begin using supplemental minerals around spring green-up and continue until early fall. Once you have your supplies its time to start making mineral sites. in Food Plots, A different approach, Research is learning what is wrong about a forage. Many hunters believe that it is simply because bucks need the minerals for antler growth and does for raising fawns during these months. I began the project by placing black plastic feeding pans at my oldest and most frequented deer mineral sites. Over a four year period the researchers were unable to detect any differences between the two deer herds. 1 part Di-calcium phosphate, this is a dairy feed additive bought at feed stores. However, salt can also be an intake limiter for the very same reason and is often used in livestock minerals to limit intake. This should be followed by developing a food-plot or native-plant fertilization program to ameliorate any deficiencies. Even though we used protein in this example, the same is true for nutrients in a mineral supplement. As fall approaches, vegetation begins to mature and drop in potassium. Weve learned that a multi-pronged approach to providing deer minerals is best. The Importance of Knowing Intake There is little question that increased mineral nutrition can improve your deer herd, and now that you know what to expect for intake, you can use this information to make sure your mineral product is performing as it should. Dicalcium phosphate contains around 19 percent phosphorous and 20 to 25 percent calcium. Rice bran is around $10 for a 40-pound bag. The two main minerals found in hardened deer antlers are calcium and phosphorous. A homemade deer mineral lick should include minerals that are essential for deer health, such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, copper, zinc, and selenium. Allow the deer to lick the mineral lick for about two weeks. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Place the lick in an area that has plenty of natural browse available. At least eight were using the site each day, including three yearling does, two adult does, two yearling bucks and one 3-year-old buck. This should be followed by developing a food-plot or native-plant fertilization program to ameliorate any deficiencies. They know that deer typically begin using supplemental minerals around spring green-up and continue until early fall. Research has shown that after a site is used, it will often become a part of the feeding and movement pattern. Think of minerals more like a vitamin, filling the gap in any deficiencies that might exist in a deers diet. When creating sites, I try to find heavily used trails or trail crossings somewhere in cover (brush or timber) and create the site just off that trail or trail crossing. Researchers at Mississippi State University found a strong correlation between soil mineral content (primarily phosphorus) and body size, although no correlation with adult antler size was found. calcium, phosphorus, zinc, etc.). Clearly minerals are important in antler development. A few drops of a natural attractant, such as rice bran, apple extract, or salt, can also be added to your deer mineral. All Rights Reserved. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. When I felt that the deer were using the site normally again, I removed all content from each pan and replaced it with exactly 5 pounds of mineral at each site. For several years now, I have been formulating free choice minerals for wild deer. Because intake is typically relative to body weight, one would think that if a cow weighing 1,400 pounds was eating 2 to 4 ounces of mineral, then a deer weighing 200 pounds should eat only between 0.28 to 0.57 ounces, not 1 to 2 ounces. This time of year, deer are actively searching for salt. I know of some deer managers in Ohio whose homemade mineral mixes gave the animals heavy metal poisoning! Dont expect to see trophy bucks walking around this fall just because you gave them a mineral boost this spring. Predator Hunting (Coyote, Bobcat, Fox, Wolf, Cougar, etc. All Rights Reserved. Interestingly enough, Larry later earned a doctoral degree in Range Management from Texas A&M University, and to this day he remains a recognized authority on range management and animal nutrition. Lucky Buck Apple Flavored Deer Attractant 4. About 40 percent is composed of protein. Bucks must live long enough to reach physical maturity while having access to high quality nutrition to achieve maximum antler growth. Too much salt and you will limit total intake of mineral. Once you begin your mineral-lick program, keep in mind that youll want to refreshen them throughout the year to keep them attracting deer and providing the minerals they need. Now, consider two different protein supplements, one with a level of 28 percent protein and one at 22 percent protein. Discussion While all these minerals are important, we quickly learned that Ca and P in particular had a lot to do with the size of deer and their antlers. James Kroll and Haynes Shelton talk about being realistic when it comes to managing a smaller deer property in this edition of Dr. Antlers are comprised of roughly 20 percent calcium and 10 percent phosphorus. A lot is made over the power of mineral sites to grow antlers and create a healthier deer population. Make sure you dont place too many deer mineral blocks at a time, but you should put out one lick for every 40 acres of land. Many of these minerals only make up a fraction of a percent of the antler. Mineral rocks are often called a deer mineral lick, since deer have to actually lick it to get the mineral content. The minerals are not as attractive to deer, but they are a necessity for their body. Look for the highest amounts of calcium and phosphorus on the label. While there are a number of commercial products available to create mineral licks, a more affordable and perhaps better option is to drive down to your local feed and seed or farmers co-op and buy a 50-pound bag of dicalcium phosphate and one or two 50-pound bag of trace-mineral salt. | Again, this isnt a magic trick that will ensure you have trophy bucks running around your property, but youll at least have peace of mind that your deer have access to all the minerals they will need to stay healthy and to develop antlers and healthy fawns. The best places for minerals are around a water source ponds, creeks, lakes, etc. In addition, one group was provided a commercial mineral supplement. This recipe should also be tailored to meet the needs of the area in which it is being used. Free choice minerals are probably one of the most difficult products where you can get a good sense of intake. Minerals are important to all living things, serving a host of physiological functions. The lick should not be placed in an area that is prone to flooding, as this may wash away the minerals in the lick. Our deer blog is one of the longest-running and most popular ones out there. TINK'S Doe-in-Rut Buck Lure 2. All North American Whitetail subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. Most folks would simply look at the tag and see that one product is 28 percent and the other 22 percent and just assume that the deer is getting more protein from the 28 percent protein product. Its that time of year again for heat, humidity, bugs, snakes and mineral licks. Salt is the most common attractant used in mineral supplements. I only know that when I put out a mineral site, I'm likely going to have an excellent location for capturing a lot of trail camera images. For about $50 or less, you can buy all the ingredients you need to make several productive and quality mineral sites for deer. Whitetail Institute Mineral for Deer 5. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Next, choose a central location near cover and dig a shallow, 6-inch deep hole a few feet in diameter. When soil is either too low or high in pH, utilization of P is inhibited, greatly affecting body growth and antler production. In terms of trying to identify the total number of different deer using each sight, how much did human error play into the results? Therefore, mineral supplementation prior to and during antler growth may be beneficial. Yes, whitetails will eat dirt, but the vast majority of minerals they consume enter the system through the plants they eat. "I take a 5-gallon bucket and use 1/4 Di-calcium phosphate and divide the rest 50/50. Although many people assume that any mineral will grow trophy bucks, most deer are not that fortunate. Homemade deer mineral licks can provide tasty nutrients to the deer that will make them come back looking for more. Making your own deer mineral isn't hard, nor is it expensive. Also, fawns will learn mineral site areas from their mothers and will return to sites even after they are weaned. If the buck consumes only 3 pounds of the 28 percent protein product but eats 5 pounds of the 22 percent product, he is actually getting more protein from the 22 percent product than the 28 percent product. Notice the pond in the background. Mike Clerkin heads to the legendary Buffalo County, Wisconsin, in search of early season whitetail action. If you dont see any deer activity near the mineral sight, try placing it near water sources and a good tree for trail cameras. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. I struggled with that, because many cattle minerals have a known intake consumption of 2 to 4 ounces per head per day. This mineral will be for sale in the next 2 weeks!! Furthermore, when the same deer were examined the following year as 2.5yearolds, no differences were detected between the two groups. Heavy deer rub activity along this interior path One of the easiest ways to lure deer to your property is to place a mineral lick. Surely, the knee-deep depressions in the soil caused by repeated years of mineral supplementation are evidence of deer need. This would equate to an average ounce-per-head-per-day intake of .29 ounces. Type of mineral formulation affected total deer use of baited sites, with a high salt formulation receiving over four times the number of daily visits from deer as other formulations. But if you want to spice it up, you can add a dash of any general-purpose mineral. The first step is have the soils analyzed for the critical macro- and micro-nutrients. Continue with Recommended Cookies, Home Recipes The #1 Best Deer Mineral Recipe. These two ingredients are bitter, so you may want to add some salt to the lick. If you stand in the middle of Highway 400 just west of Dodge City and look out at the horizon, you can get a good understanding of why people once thought the Earth was flat. But theyre bitter on their own, so you need to add more salt to the mix. All of these minerals are necessary for deer to maintain their health and help to keep their coats shiny and strong. In the above video, I share a simple recipe for making about 100 pounds of the mix for less than $40. The white earth minerals work well if you want to add . In its own way, western Kansas is quite beautiful, that is, of course, unless you like a lot of trees. Want to get a bunch of trail camera photos during the times of year when it's typically difficult to do so? Not enough salt and it won't be as weather proof nor will it be as palatable. However, in many areas feeding isnt a legal option. However, if you are using mineral supplements or considering using them to improve the nutritional plan of the deer herd on your property, I think having at least an idea of what expected intake is is important. Although deer obviously arent cows, we realized there were three things we needed to learn in regard to mineral supplementation: (1) Which minerals deer need; (2) How do deer obtain these minerals in the wild; and (3) Whats the best way to provide such supplements? You want to get as much calcium and phosphorous into a deer as possible. Those actually were wonderful days to do research, as my colleagues and I picked the low-hanging fruit of knowledge. While I could identify many of the deer that used the sight daily, some did not use the site each day, and some could not be definitely identified as a daily user. You can provide deer these minerals and supplemented nutrition a variety of ways. While this will help them find you more quickly, it will also add flavor. And, honestly, the only difference I can tell is in the price. For example, in much of South Texas (which is broadly deficient in P), low rainfall makes trying to grow traditional food plots a fools errand. Instead, we apply 50 pounds per acre of triple-superphosphate (0-45-0) fertilizer to native brush. Build your own deer base is designed to make your own deer mineral using individual ingredients or you can add it to either your current mineral to make it more fortified. I replicated the test on three different farms to help alleviate variables, at least to a certain degree. If you were looking for good descriptive words, vast and expansive would come to mind. Minerals attract deer, and they seek them out when they enter these areas. Can deer freeze to death when severe cold weather, such as dangerously low temperatures, deep snow and crushing winds, set in? logging, flooding), a mineral site will receive increased usage with each progressive year. Whitetail Institute Winter-Greens Deer Food Buying Guide Easy to use Effectiveness Affordability Portability Frequently Asked Questions These categories indicate the amount used by the animal. To make a homemade deer mineral lick, gather ingredients for the mix. Once they've found the location, it's the salt that keeps them coming back. No one can say for sure, but its probably because most minerals by themselves are bitter. Placing the lick in a spot with tall grasses or shrubs will help the deer feel safe when they are visiting the lick. This final and vital piece of the puzzle is daily intake. Deer. Magnesium is perhaps the third most important mineral with sodium being not far behind. Or maybe you have an established mineral site that you need to freshen up. February 24, 2023 |Timber 2 Table Wild Game Recipes, February 22, 2023 |Timber 2 Table Wild Game Recipes. Potassium and sodium must maintain a balance at a cellular level, and since most green, growing vegetation is much higher in potassium than sodium, deer become salt hungry during the spring and summer as their bodies crave more sodium. Of course, the other macro- and micro-nutrients should be included in lesser amounts. Its simple: they need the salt because the forage they are eating in summer is high in water and potassium, thus creating a salt deficiency. All Rights Reserved. If the mineral soil is buried in the ground, you may need to add more salt to it. Subscriber Services. This sheds light on why quality forage high in protein is needed during the spring and summer for deer to reach their antler potential. Western Kansas is also flat, and when I say flat, I dont mean kind of flat. There are several different ways to supplement a deers diet with vitamins, minerals, and chelated trace elements. The feeding pan had a total of 4.27 pounds, or 68.24 ounces, of mineral remaining. In fact, theres significant scientific evidence to suggest Cu deficiencies are linked to spontaneous occurrences of brain diseases such as mad cow and CWD. By delivering mineral in this way, youre exposing deer to greater risk of parasites and diseases. Dig a shallow hole and loosen the soil before adding your minerals. Comes in 50lb Bags at around $11.00 you need one bag. The other ingredients for homemade deer minerals are a little bit of a variation on the classic white earth minerals found in the Indian spice-infused spices. But running mineral sites can get a bit pricey. Over the past five years or so, I've really started to fine-tune the system that I use for running trail cameras in the spring and summer months, and it's a system that revolves entirely around mineral sites. You are using an out of date browser. Just be sure to dig up some of the existing dirt and mix the trace mineral salt and dicalcium phosphate into the soil. Your Complete Wildlife Nutrition and Property Management, difference between coated and non coated seeds. Despite the number of products now on the market and the amount of information published, many user questions continue. Important Note: Minerals on their own are bitter, so be sure to mix in plenty of salt to attract the deer. Deer arent cows; they dont like to lick blocks the way their bovine cousins do. This can be beneficial for several reasons. To my knowledge, there is little to no research on the subject as it pertains to deer. So here, during a time of year when mineral interest and use are high, Id like to recap which minerals deer need and how to address those needs. The best mineral sites are located near water sources. I have used the same product literally 100 yards apart from each other, and the deer heavily used one site but not the other. Strongly consider buying a bag of rice bran or other attractant like apple extract that may entice deer to eat the minerals. One final deer mineral site consideration for non-nutritional factors is soil type. However, soil limitations often dictate using supplements to fill in the blanks created by scarcity of critical minerals in the native environment. Mix the minerals and dirt well in the depression, and then add a little molasses for a sweetener.

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