Simply use a bucket with nearby pond or creek water to do this. Now that we have an idea of the role minerals play in your management plan, lets look at the recipe. 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. That means their expected consumption should be 0.21 to 0.42 ounces per head, per day. Homemade Deer Mineral Recipe Watch on Be sure and Visit North American Wildlife and Habitat Facebook Page Below are photo using 35 mm game camera, Mineral lick site was started in 2000 on this piece of property in Southern Missouri along the Arkansas Border. Calcium and phosphorus are important for bone growth, while magnesium helps to regulate muscle and nerve function. Bucks must live long enough to reach physical maturity while having access to high quality nutrition to achieve maximum antler growth. 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. The best place to put a deer lick is near your closest water holes, ponds or water sources and near your food plots. When spring rolls around, hunters everywhere gear up to begin establishing or recharging the mineral sites on their hunting properties. Could the use of salt/mineral mixes simply be due to an increased need for salt? July 1, 2022 |Timber 2 Table Wild Game Recipes, February 27, 2023 |The Realblog with Stephanie Mallory, February 28, 2023 |Brow Tines and Backstrap. The first step is have the soils analyzed for the critical macro- and micro-nutrients. Growing antlers are composed mostly of proteins (80 percent by weight); whereas hardened antlers contain roughly equal amounts of proteins and minerals. Think of minerals more like a vitamin, filling the gap in any deficiencies that might exist in a deers diet. EXPLORE OTHER MEDIA 360 PROPERTIES FOR OUTDOORS ENTHUSIASTS, Hot Gear: Protect Your Phone, Docs with Confidence, Ultralight Tactical Tomahawk The Proven Multipurpose Outdoor Tool. I struggled with that, because many cattle minerals have a known intake consumption of 2 to 4 ounces per head per day. B.Y.O Deer Base also contains, magnesium, sulfur, potassium as well as all the essential trace minerals and vitamins needed by deer. Inside the trough, place a metal or plastic pan to hold the mineral. Comes in 50lb Bags at around $11.00 you need one bag. Here are some deer mineral recipe tips and tactics to get your whitetails as healthy as they can be. WHITETAIL DEER HOMEMADE MINERAL MIX RECIPE Printable version Ingredients: Makes 200 lbs. Sodium helps to regulate blood pressure and fluid balance in the body. Gordon Whittington talks with Steven Sprout about the trophy buck he took back in 1998 while bowhunting public land in Illinois. Email: info@deerassociation.com. Calcium and phosphorus are important for bone growth, while magnesium helps to regulate muscle and nerve function. The best time to put out these mineral blocks is in February/March/April. I've mentioned this before, but here is the recipe I use with prices. About 40 percent is composed of protein. In this edition of "From The Stand," Pat Hogan explains the importance of being aware of proper clearance when using your bow or crossbow out in the field. Surely, the knee-deep depressions in the soil caused by repeated years of mineral supplementation are evidence of deer need, correct? Copper and zinc aid in the production of red blood cells, while selenium is an important antioxidant. Regardless of the intensity of mineral supplementation, a yearling buck will still be a yearling buck. Give a Gift Magnesium is perhaps the third most important mineral with sodium being not far behind. Find an area located in some cover close to the water source. Mike Clerkin heads to Buffalo County, Wisconsin to bowhunt whitetails. Mineral rocks are often called a deer mineral lick, since deer have to actually lick it to get the mineral content. 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. It takes food, shelter, and time to reach the antler growth stage. Creating a lick is certainly fun, inexpensive, and watching deer respond to these licks is satisfying. The placement of a homemade deer mineral lick on your property is an important factor in encouraging deer to visit and use the lick. Back in the early 1970s, two men came to visit me at the Institute for White-tailed Deer Management & Research in Texas. We've learned that a multi-pronged approach to providing deer minerals is best. Dig a whole 2-3" deep by about 3 feet across. Deer arent cows; they dont like to lick blocks the way their bovine cousins do. Dont expect to see trophy bucks walking around this fall just because you gave them a mineral boost this spring. Studies have shown that calcium and phosphorus are by far the two most common minerals in deer antlers, comprising 3035 percent of the mature antler by weight. WATCH: Where to Place Minerals for the Best Results. 2023 National Deer Association, All Rights Reserved. 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. They have a bit of a red pepper tint and some of the seeds are green. This study differed from the Penn State study in that both herds were fed a nutritionally complete diet. 2023 Grand View Outdoors All Rights Reserved So mineral supplementation wont show any antler effect for at least a year. Its a bountiful area that produces wheat, corn and beef cattle that feed thousands of people around the world. Also, if youre not getting at least the intake level of .2 to .4 ounce per head per day, then maybe you need to switch products, move the mineral site or make some other changes to make sure deer are consuming the desired amount. Believe it or not, in those early days little of the whitetail information we now commonly take for granted was known. All of these minerals are necessary for deer to maintain their health and help to keep their coats shiny and strong. Therefore, I took the total number of deer that used the site over a seven-day period and divided it by seven days to reach an approximate number of deer using the site each day. For instance, did the cameras trigger each time a deer was using the site? There are several different ways to supplement a deers diet with vitamins, minerals, and chelated trace elements. This time of year, deer are actively searching for salt. Pour in one of the bags of salt and one box of the A & H. Stir in well and then add three forths of the second bag of salt and all of the 2nd box of A & H. Mix in well and smooth over the top. If you were looking for good descriptive words, vast and expansive would come to mind. Also, fawns will learn mineral site areas from their mothers and will return to sites even after they are weaned. Not enough salt and it won't be as weather proof nor will it be as palatable. This recipe should also be tailored to meet the needs of the area in which it is being used. I cannot definitely answer why this is, but I would theorize that it has to do with excessive leaching in sandy soils or possibly even the gritty nature of sand. If you notice no deer sign after a few weeks, then mix in more salt to the site. It also has a lower taste, so deer will return for more. To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine. Box 160 Clovers and Perennials- Are you planting for now or the future? Basically, the deer will tell you where they like to eat. Use a mineral site. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. What Are Arrows Shot From Untuned Bows Likely to Do. Dig a shallow hole and loosen the soil before adding your minerals. What Minerals Should Be Included in a Homemade Deer Mineral Lick? Making your own deer mineral isn't hard, nor is it expensive. However, a University of Georgia study detected 11 different minerals in the whitetails antlers. If deer were lacking minerals, why wouldnt they use the pure mineral supplement even if salt wasnt present? Mike Clerkin heads to the legendary Buffalo County, Wisconsin, in search of early season whitetail action. Now, back to the 18 percent protein. Over a four year period the researchers were unable to detect any differences between the two deer herds. I then allowed the deer to use the sites for seven days, at which time I removed the remaining contents from the pan and weighed it in order to get a total usage. There are commercial and "homemade" granular mixes available. But if you want to spice it up, you can add a dash of any general-purpose mineral. This would equate to a .21 ounce-per-head-per-day intake. By delivering mineral in this way, youre exposing deer to greater risk of parasites and diseases. logging, flooding), a mineral site will receive increased usage with each progressive year. Using these products is not a guaranteed way to increase antler growth, but they do have several benefits that can make your deers life more enjoyable and successful. One is to start by hanging your cameras on the fringes and then work your way toward bedding areas if deer movement warrants it. Also, slightly burying the pan helped to ensure the mineral would not be spilled. For most whitetail managers, one of the best ways to supplement mineral nutrition is (where legal) through supplemental feeding. So why not just use straight salt? Matt Harper is a deer nutrition specialist from Iowa. However, age and nutrition are the two most important ingredients for producing large antlered bucks. Next, clear the ground to bare dirt, about 3 feet in diameter. Thats because its long been a topic of widespread interest not only on the part of landowners and other habitat managers, but hunters, as well. Too much salt and you will limit total intake of mineral. Western Kansas is also flat, and when I say flat, I dont mean kind of flat. This being said, there are many variables at play and these results certainly do not provide a definite answer. Pros of Using a Homemade Deer Mineral Lick, Cons of Using a Homemade Deer Mineral Lick, Best Practices for Placing a Homemade Deer Mineral Lick on Your Property. All Rights Reserved. Monitor the lick and the deer activity around it regularly. In the old days, we simply dug holes and poured granular mineral into them. Photo at mineral lick start in 2001 and end in 2003. 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. Stan Potts heads to Montana with his rifle in search of a Big Sky buck. This is especially true of dried molasses, which deer love. WHITETAIL DEER HOMEMADE MINERAL MIX RECIPE. Pour your mineral contents all over the turned-up ground and mix it in with the shovel or pitchfork. This particularly is true for sandy soils, as well as highly acidic (low pH) or basic (high pH) soils. Now, consider two different protein supplements, one with a level of 28 percent protein and one at 22 percent protein. To begin with the non-nutritional category, location is critical. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. 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. You can also use this as a trail cam to monitor the growth of your deers antlers. Over the years, Ive written on a number of occasions about mineral supplementation for whitetails. 2 parts Trace mineral salt, the red and loos kind without the medications. Farm B had a total of eight adult deer using the deer mineral site, five of which used the site on a daily basis. Larry Redmon and Richard Reed (the latter now deceased) were local cattlemen and avid deer hunters, and they had a question Id never heard. However, be mindful of your impact to the area and don't risk spooking your buck by delving too deep into his core area. Farm A had an average number of 11 adult deer using the site on a daily basis. This interferes with efficient sodium conversion in the body and increases the need for sodium. Experiment and see what works best for you. It may not display this or other websites correctly. As you seek to improve herd nutrition, theres still no substitute for good native forage management. There are many other examples of popular beliefs being dramatically changed through scientific discovery. Without question deer need minerals, and they will readily use mineral licks. Research on domestic livestock has documented numerous benefits of mineral supplementation including increased forage intake, improved forage digestion, and increased reproductive success. THE RISE AND FALL OF THE MISSOURI WILD TURKEY, 2021 Missouri Spring Turkey Season Worse in 24 Years, Missouri Wild Turkey Regulation Changes Needed, MDC Mythbusters Missouri Turkey Population, 2022 Missouri Wild Turkey Poult Production, 1st Annual National Wild Turkey Symposium, 2nd Annual National Wild Turkey Symposium, 3rd Annual National Wild Turkey Symposium, 4th Annual National Wild Turkey Symposium, 6th Annual National Wild Turkey Symposium, 7th Annual National Wild Turkey Symposium, 8th Annual National Wild Turkey Symposium, 9th Annual National Wild Turkey Symposium, North American Wildlife and Habitat Facebook Page. 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. According to research, yes. Deer will consume anywhere between 1 to 5 percent of their body weight each day, depending on the time of year, with winter consumption being on the low end of the scale and summer consumption being on the higher end. The 2 most important elements on a tag are the calcium levels and phosphorous levels. Mineral licks also provide a great place to survey deer with game cameras. As it turned out, the general area has long been known for a cattle disease called grass tetany, which is directly related to a lack of magnesium in the diet. The key is to have realistic expectations. Herds were fed a nutritionally complete diet for now or the future in any deficiencies that might exist in homemade. In this way, youre exposing deer to greater risk of parasites and diseases play in management. Acidic ( low pH ) soils gear up to begin establishing or recharging the mineral would not be spilled any. 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