Once youve tagged that big whitetail deer, take a look at some of our most popular venison recipes like our Old School Deer Jerky Recipe or the Delicious Deer Backstrap Crockpot Recipe, What Is A Piebald Deer? This time of year, deer are actively searching for salt. Next, choose a central location near cover and dig a shallow, 6-inch deep hole a few feet in diameter. Research in Tennessee supports this. You can use a 1:1 or 2:1 (two parts salt and one part dicalcium phosphate) ratio for your mineral site. Subscriber Services. Matt Harper is a deer nutrition specialist from Iowa. 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. Believe it or not, in those early days little of the whitetail information we now commonly take for granted was known. Granular - these minerals are added to the soil, and deer get them by consuming the minerals and/or soil/minerals mixture. Simply use a bucket with nearby pond or creek water to do this. My purpose for running the mineral sites is to inventory the bucks that are in the area and to provide me with top-notch camera locations. Most commercially-made products are going to run about $20 a bag and each bag will service one site for a couple of months. In its own way, western Kansas is quite beautiful, that is, of course, unless you like a lot of trees. However, while recent studies have shown that adult bucks indeed do much of the breeding, bucks as young as 1 1/2 also areinvolved in the rut game. Copyright Jesse's Hunting & Outdoors L.L.C. Whether the addition of supplemental minerals is truly benefitting the deer, or if the deer are simply using the site because of the salt, isn't really a primary concern of mine. Deer arent cows; they dont like to lick blocks the way their bovine cousins do. Dicalcium Phosphate Mix the ingredients above with 1 part dicalcium phosphate. However, age and nutrition are the two most important ingredients for producing large antlered bucks. Deer are very finicky when it comes to eating, especially when it is supplemental products offered to wild deer. Salt is the most common attractant used in mineral supplements. A solid habitat/nutrition plan should involve manipulating preferred plants to keep them within what we call the deer zone (within four feet of the ground), on a sustained basis. 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. A balanced pelleted ration can deliver all the mineral nutrition needed by the herd. They concluded that soil phosphorus levels were the best indicator of body size, probably because phosphorus deficient soils are common throughout the United States. Micro-nutrients such as Cu, Zn and Se are particularly important to whitetails, responsible for many metabolic activities and immune development. Ingredients 2 cups = Oats 2 cups = Cornmeal 1 cup = Brown sugar 1 cup = Molasses 1/2 cup = Vegetable oil Directions In a large bowl, pour in molasses, brown sugar, and vegetable oil. We also identified magnesium deficiencies in some Michigan deer when we discovered dozens of them eating mud rich in this mineral. Once you have tried the deer mineral recipe, you need to think about placement of the mineral block. Calcium and phosphorous are the two biggest components of antler growth after protein. A good rule of thumb is about one site per 100 acres of property. And, honestly, the only difference I can tell is in the price. Want to get a bunch of trail camera photos during the times of year when it's typically difficult to do so? Here is a recipe one of the MO conservation agents passed on to us hunters. Heavy deer rub activity along this interior path 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. calcium, phosphorus, zinc, etc.). During the spring and summer, deer operate at a sodium deficiency due to the high potassium and water content of the forage. Yes, whitetails will eat dirt, but the vast majority of minerals they consume enter the system through the plants they eat. locks tend to be the least effective way for deer to get supplemental minerals. logging, flooding), a mineral site will receive increased usage with each progressive year. Watering Note: If there's no rain in the forecast, consider watering the mineral site. If the mineral soil is buried in the ground, you may need to add more salt to it. After all, it sure looks that way. The best time to put out these mineral blocks is in February/March/April. Join us as we mix up the mineral and take it out and put. By delivering mineral in this way, youre exposing deer to greater risk of parasites and diseases. During gestation and lactation does have high requirements for calcium and magnesium. The Best Way to Cook Chanterelle Mushrooms, 12 Reasons Why Your Venison Tastes Like Hell, Watch Pennsylvania Black Bears on Live Den Cam, Midwesterner Discovers Very Rare Melanistic Deer, Why an Old-School .30-06 Hunter is Switching to the 6.5 PRC, Southerners Shoot the Oldest Bucks, Texans Bag the Most Does, and More Highlights from the 2023 NDA Deer Report, Lost and Found: Neighbor Finds Hunters Huge Buck More Than a Year Later, Alabama Rut Kicking, Police Dog Saves Deer Hunter from Icy River, and More Deer Hunting News. Getting your food plots back on track. When soil is either too low or high in pH, utilization of P is inhibited, greatly affecting body growth and antler production. Mixing Salts Mix the trace minerals above with 1 part mixing salts Dried Molasses Mix the above ingredients with 1 part dried molasses. I began the project by placing black plastic feeding pans at my oldest and most frequented deer mineral sites. Clearly minerals are important in antler development. In addition to calcium (19 percent) and phosphorus (10 percent), the next most common elements were magnesium (1 percent) and sodium (0.5 percent). TOTAL - #200 - $59.60. You must log in or register to reply here. Place the lick in an area that has good soil drainage. Michigan Hunter Shoots 200-class Non-typical After Oversleeping That Morning, How to Find Big Buck Sanctuaries in the Spring, Potential Kentucky State Record Crossbow Typical Shot in Hemp Field, Iowa Bowhunter Goes Stealth Mode with a Tree Saddle to Bag 194-inch Non-typical, Saskatchewan Hunter Finds Target Sheds After Looking for Multiple Days, Nebraska Shed Hunter's Wife and Dog Find 6x9 Set One Year After Learning About the Buck, Oklahoma Hunter Sticks Heavy-antlered Non-typical After Gaining Permission on Property. The first and most beneficial is to pour the GYT90 crude soybean oil and mineral mixture over supplemental feed. Allow the deer to lick the mineral lick for about two weeks. 1 part Di-calcium phosphate, this is a dairy feed additive bought at feed stores. However, deer are not attracted to a high-salt solution and will not consume it. Dicalcium Phosphate - #50 - $20.10. Here are some best practices for placing a homemade mineral lick on your property: By following these best practices for placing a homemade deer mineral lick, you can ensure that your deer will have access to important minerals in a safe and comfortable area. ). During the summer, finding locations that deer frequent often can be tough. Obvious dietary differences dictated that this information might only be elementary when it came to whitetails. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. You can also add it to a basic free choice mineral. Making deer mineral licks is not a hassle and you can do it on your own in a few simple steps. They know that deer typically begin using supplemental minerals around spring green-up and continue until early fall. A 1:1 or 2:1 Ca:P ratio is optimum. Could the use of salt/mineral mixes simply be due to an increased need for salt? The amount of mineral that remained in the feeding pan was 3.6 pounds or 57.75 ounces. 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. Homemade deer mineral supplements work best near waterholes and food plots. The lick should not be placed in an area that is prone to flooding, as this may wash away the minerals in the lick. ). 2001 Mineral Lick Minerals are important to all living things, serving a host of physiological functions. Despite the number of products now on the market and the amount of information published, many user questions continue. So why not just use straight salt? Without question deer need minerals, and they will readily use mineral licks. They can feed darned near anywhere as browse is abundant and crops are plentiful. You can use granular minerals or dicalcium phosphate, which can be found at a feed store. As I detailed in the Spring issue, its safe to say that soils determine more about whitetail growth and productivity than any other factor. Look for the highest amounts of calcium and phosphorus on the label. The amount of mineral soil used for antler growth will depend on how many deer will visit the site. The best mineral sites are located near water sources. I've mentioned this before, but here is the recipe I use with prices. Maybe I'm overly paranoid but I don't like adding persimmon-scented products in an area where persimmons don't grow. You want to have between 15-25% salt in any free choice mineral for maximum consumption. This recipe should also be tailored to meet the needs of the area in which it is being used. 2 parts Trace mineral salt, the red and loos kind without the medications. Many hunters will find an old rotted stump near trails and use that for their man-made lick. This should be followed by developing a food-plot or native-plant fertilization program to ameliorate any deficiencies. In so doing, we get fantastic response from the deer herd. Dig a shallow hole and loosen the soil before adding your minerals. But theyre bitter on their own, so you need to add more salt to the mix. Box 160 Whitetail Institute Mineral for Deer 5. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Of course, the other macro- and micro-nutrients should be included in lesser amounts. I have found that mineral sites located in sandy areas are utilized less than mineral sites in heavier soils. Spread evenly the remainder of the bag of salt. Salt 5.0 lbs, Salt 12.5 lbs. Monitor the lick and the deer activity around it regularly. Therefore, mineral supplementation prior to and during antler growth may be beneficial. This interferes with efficient sodium conversion in the body and increases the need for sodium. The combination will promote antler growth and help fawns shed their winter coats. Homemade deer mineral licks can provide tasty nutrients to the deer that will make them come back looking for more. Leave formulation to the professionals. Factors Affecting Mineral Intake Weve learned that a multi-pronged approach to providing deer minerals is best. You can use granular minerals or dicalcium phosphate, which can be found at a feed store. To make a homemade deer mineral lick, gather ingredients for the mix. Then use a shovel or pitchfork to turn up the ground. 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. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. The feeding pan had a total of 4.27 pounds, or 68.24 ounces, of mineral remaining. However, be mindful of your impact to the area and don't risk spooking your buck by delving too deep into his core area. Email: info@deerassociation.com. If one mineral supplement has 5 percent calcium and another has 7 percent calcium, but the deer consumes twice the amount of the 5 percent product, then the deer is actually getting more calcium than it would be getting from the 7 percent product. In this study, researchers did detect a difference in yearling buck antler development between supplemented and unsupplemented groups. So mineral supplementation wont show any antler effect for at least a year. You can also locate these sites near good trees for trail cameras. Since deer tend to like salt, placing a mineral lick in a location where there is water is the best way to attract them. Although this winter has been warmer than average for much of the country, many, Deer warts are one of the most easily visible diseases of whitetails, and every year deer hunters ask us about this health problem. N1 Outdoors - How To Make Your Own Deer Mineral Recipe (and what ingredients you'll need): Trace Minerals 2 parts trace minerals. Make sure the lick is near a water source. But this does not guarantee that deer will use the site. Im talking smashed with a giant skillet flat. In todays video we are going to show you guys how to make your own deer mineral and save some money. Deer are hoofed creatures, but that doesn't mean that any mineral that works for a cattle ranch or horses will do the same for whitetails. There are several different ways to supplement a deers diet with vitamins, minerals, and chelated trace elements. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. But we now know that was a really bad idea. At the same time, I reviewed the cameras located at each spot to identify how many deer were using the site each day. Strongly consider buying a bag of rice bran or other attractant like apple extract that may entice deer to eat the minerals. 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. So a product that is very high in salt will likely have less total consumption than a product lower in salt. Simply use a bucket with nearby pond or creek water to do this. I have used the same product literally 100 yards apart from each other, and the deer heavily used one site but not the other. - The Best Explanation. Magnesium is perhaps the third most important mineral with sodium being not far behind. This would equate to a .21 ounce-per-head-per-day intake. In the above video, I share a simple recipe for making about 100 pounds of the mix for less than $40. The water is so powerful and so easily drained in your hands that you should definitely be buying water from a natural resource like a stream to get a better picture of what the water is going to be like . EXPLORE OTHER MEDIA 360 PROPERTIES FOR OUTDOORS ENTHUSIASTS, Hot Gear: Protect Your Phone, Docs with Confidence, Ultralight Tactical Tomahawk The Proven Multipurpose Outdoor Tool. 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. WHITETAIL DEER HOMEMADE MINERAL MIX RECIPE. As fall approaches, vegetation begins to mature and drop in potassium. Deer minerals are simple math. With careful consideration of the deers nutritional requirements and the needs of the environment, a successful deer mineral recipe can be created. Quite beautiful, that is very high in salt will likely have less total consumption a... 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