That means their expected consumption should be 0.21 to 0.42 ounces per head, per day. Or maybe you have an established mineral site that you need to freshen up. Antlers are comprised of roughly 20 percent calcium and 10 percent phosphorus. A good rule of thumb is about one site per 100 acres of property. However, the formula I used for this mineral is a fairly standard formula used in many deer mineral products. Now that we have an idea of the role minerals play in your management plan, lets look at the recipe. We routinely give our cattle minerals, Larry said, and we wondered if it would be possible to make a mineral for deer?. 2 parts Trace mineral salt, the red and loose kind without the medications. These folks should know more than anyone about proper nutrition for ruminants, a group that includes whitetails. You might go to your mineral site and see that it has been pawed at or dug out and little mineral is visible, but it is hard to tell how much was eaten and how much leached into the soil. This particularly is true for sandy soils, as well as highly acidic (low pH) or basic (high pH) soils. The form it is in (block versus granular), location of the mineral site, soil type, salt content, competition, aggression of other deer, how long the site has been established and a host of other factors all affect how much a mineral site will be used. If you dont see any deer activity near the mineral sight, try placing it near water sources and a good tree for trail cameras. Homemade deer mineral supplements work best near waterholes and food plots. They have just about every option available to them. Get tips from Steve Bartylla in this Hunt em Big. |, Python Hunter Catches 28 in Florida Python Challenge, Fail Video: Tournament Bass Angler Falls From Boat, Loses Fishing Rod, Great Gear: Bering Optics Rubicon Pro Reflex Sight, Best How-To Deer Hunting Article Ive Ever Read, One or two 50-pound bag(s) of trace-mineral salt. Taking common ingredients found in most homes and mixing them into a viable, attractive combination that deer love is an easy process. You can use granular minerals or dicalcium phosphate, which can be found at a feed store. These are the most potent and effective of the three elements. Creating a lick is certainly fun, inexpensive, and watching deer respond to these licks is satisfying. A balanced pelleted ration can deliver all the mineral nutrition needed by the herd. The product you choose needs to have calcium and phosphorus, in as large of quantity as possible. 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. The 2 most important elements on a tag are the calcium levels and phosphorous levels. This is especially true of dried molasses, which deer love. James Kroll and Haynes Shelton talk about being realistic when it comes to managing a smaller deer property in this edition of Dr. For about $50 or less, you can buy all the ingredients you need to make several productive and quality mineral sites for deer. Once you have your supplies its time to start making mineral sites. Back in the early 1970s, two men came to visit me at the Institute for White-tailed Deer Management & Research in Texas. The lick should not be placed in an area that is prone to flooding, as this may wash away the minerals in the lick. So a product that is very high in salt will likely have less total consumption than a product lower in salt. N1 Outdoors - How To Make Your Own Deer Mineral Recipe (and what ingredients you'll need): Trace Minerals 2 parts trace minerals. 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 . But theyre bitter on their own, so you need to add more salt to the mix. The diacalcium phosphate costs about $25 to $30 and the trace-mineral salt is about $12 to $15 per bag. 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. I've done more research on this that I care to disclose, but from . If a buck consumes 8 pounds of total food per day, then in order to hit an 18 percent protein level in his diet, he would need to consume 1.44 pounds of protein. Minerals attract deer, and they seek them out when they enter these areas. A classic study on the mineral needs of deer was conducted at Penn State University in the 1950s. For instance, did the cameras trigger each time a deer was using the site? Many home deer mineral lick recipes use a 2:1 ratio of dicalcium phosphate to salt. ). This should be followed by developing a food-plot or native-plant fertilization program to ameliorate any deficiencies. As you seek to improve herd nutrition, theres still no substitute for good native forage management. 2023 Grand View Outdoors All Rights Reserved I replicated the test on three different farms to help alleviate variables, at least to a certain degree. This mineral will be for sale in the next 2 weeks!! You can provide deer these minerals and supplemented nutrition a variety of ways. 2 parts Trace mineral salt, the red and loos kind without the medications. If you notice no deer sign after a few weeks, then mix in more salt to the site. More Info At www.huntingnet.com Using a 32oz cup mix 1-cup dicalcium phosphate 2-cups trace mineral salt and 1-cup rock salt (ice cream salt) into 5-gallon bucket. Pour in the mineral and the rice bran at a ratio of 2:1. Whitetail Institute Mineral for Deer 5. The ingredients include Trace mineral salt, Di-calcium phosphate, and dried molasses. They know that deer typically begin using supplemental minerals around spring green-up and continue until early fall. Deer are very finicky when it comes to eating, especially when it is supplemental products offered to wild deer. Food additive these minerals are combined with a supplemental feed, and deer get them while consuming the feed. You can purchase the ingredients in many stores and mix them together yourself. In areas where it is legal to use deer mineral, here is an economic option for you. This interferes with efficient sodium conversion in the body and increases the need for sodium. Studies show that there are about 11 minerals in deer antlers. I struggled with that, because many cattle minerals have a known intake consumption of 2 to 4 ounces per head per day. Deer minerals are simple math. Before beginning the test, I allowed 30 days to let the deer get used to the feeding pan and then began the test after I started seeing consistent usage on my trail cameras. Dicalcium Phosphate - #50 - $20.10. Dr. James Kroll and Haynes Shelton explain why it's important to know your neighbors when operating a smaller deer property. The key is to have realistic expectations. The best place to put a deer lick is near your closest water holes, ponds or water sources and near your food plots. Deer. In fact, theres significant scientific evidence to suggest Cu deficiencies are linked to spontaneous occurrences of brain diseases such as mad cow and CWD. Spread evenly the remainder of the bag of salt. Stan Potts heads to Montana with his rifle in search of a Big Sky buck. These make up about 60 percent of the total weight of the antler. All soils are made up of minerals, and there are clear deficiencies in many areas. Watering Note: If theres no rain in the forecast, consider watering the mineral site. Haynes Shelton discusses what to look for when choosing the magnification range when it comes to the scope on your deer rifle. One of the easiest ways to lure deer to your property is to place a mineral lick. Deer's antlers are made up of over 22% calcium and 11% phosphorous. Experiment and see what works best for you. As I previously mentioned, intake is a vital factor when formulating a mineral or protein supplement or complete feed. The two main minerals found in hardened deer antlers are calcium and phosphorous. In so doing, we get fantastic response from the deer herd. The third site on Farm C was discarded due to a camera failure. 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. Manage Settings For one, as long as you have an idea of how many deer are on your property, knowing expected intake can help you figure out how much mineral you can expect to use each year. Without question deer need minerals, and they will readily use mineral licks. JavaScript is disabled. Not enough salt and it won't be as weather proof nor will it be as palatable. In addition, one group was provided a commercial mineral supplement. Many hunters will find an old rotted stump near trails and use that for their man-made lick. Of course, we now know the Earth isnt flat, but it wasnt a popular belief until science and ocean navigation proved it. One method for making your own mineral blocks is to mix them with soil. You can also locate these sites near good trees for trail cameras. 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. 1 part Di-calcium phosphate, this is a dairy feed additive bought at feed stores. The rest must come directly from their diet while their antlers are actively growing. Now, consider two different protein supplements, one with a level of 28 percent protein and one at 22 percent protein. 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. Find an area located in some cover close to the water source. Subscriber Services. Do I believe that? A few drops of a natural attractant, such as rice bran, apple extract, or salt, can also be added to your deer mineral. All of these minerals are necessary for deer to maintain their health and help to keep their coats shiny and strong. Over the years, Ive written on a number of occasions about mineral supplementation for whitetails. To begin with the non-nutritional category, location is critical. Most professionals relied on information generated primarily for small ruminants, including sheep and goats. 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. Using the right ingredients and amounts, hunters can create a mineral recipe that will help to keep deer healthy and help to promote a healthy hunting season. An easy and beneficial mineral recipe for whitetail deer and an aid in antler. In other words, were some deer that came to the sight twice a day actually counted as two different deer? I believe that when properly provided, minerals can increase the productivity and quality of a deer herd. So why not just use straight salt? Also, the use of a foreign object, the plastic feeding pan, could have decreased usage even though I did not start the test until the deer were regularly using the site with the feeding pan in place. Give a Gift
The results of these studies suggest that mineral supplementation especially calcium, phosphorus, and sodium may provide some benefit, especially in situations where deer are nutritionally deprived or areas with minerally deficient soils. As you can imagine, after a deer paws up and eats a bunch of salty dirt, its going to need a drink. Growing antlers are composed mostly of proteins (80 percent by weight); whereas hardened antlers contain roughly equal amounts of proteins and minerals. Granular - these minerals are added to the soil, and deer get them by consuming the minerals and/or soil/minerals mixture. Theyre classified as either macro- or micro-nutrients. This would equate to an average ounce-per-head-per-day intake of .29 ounces. I buried them partially in the ground in an attempt to minimize the negative effect of using a container versus the normal method of direct ground application. Look at the post in Whitetail deer hunting. Box 160 Also, slightly burying the pan helped to ensure the mineral would not be spilled. 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. During the summer, finding locations that deer frequent often can be tough. Yes, whitetails will eat dirt, but the vast majority of minerals they consume enter the system through the plants they eat. 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. The lick should be located in a spot that is easy for the deer to access from all directions. for about $23.00. Just be sure to buy and use them in conjunction with an EPA-registered water filter. This interferes with efficient sodium conversion in the body and increases the need for sodium. Plain Stock Salt - #50 - $4.30. 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. Do I believe that? 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. The best deer mineral program is one that features variety and consistency. For example, for many years, it was commonly accepted that adult bucks did all or most of the breeding. in Food Plots, A different approach, Research is learning what is wrong about a forage. Photo at mineral lick start in 2001 and end in 2003. There are several different ways to supplement a deers diet with vitamins, minerals, and chelated trace elements. Wildgame Innovations, for example, has all manner of attractants that have a powerful aroma that should help deer find your mineral site more quickly and may add a flavor component that the deer love. If youre trying to lure deer, place slow-releasing mineral blocks near bedding areas and water sources in the summer. I then placed cameras at each one of the sites to monitor usage. WATCH: 3 Things Youre Doing Wrong with Your Mineral Sites. Weve put together one of the best deer mineral recipe articles for you to try at home. This recipe should also be tailored to meet the needs of the area in which it is being used. 2023 National Deer Association, All Rights Reserved. Almost all soils more than 2550 miles from a seacoast are low in sodium. Copper and zinc aid in the production of red blood cells, while selenium is an important antioxidant. Attraction to salt is caused by the balance of potassium and sodium in the deers body. Therefore, mineral supplementation prior to and during antler growth may be beneficial. 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. Stan Potts doubles down in Montana and Wyoming. However, age and nutrition are the two most important ingredients for producing large antlered bucks. Over the years, with the use of thousands of trail camera photos and a lot of trial and error, I have figured out a few factors that influence mineral consumption both positively and negatively. At the same time, I reviewed the cameras located at each spot to identify how many deer were using the site each day. The best way to provide supplemental minerals is by using a granular mineral that contains less than 30 percent salt and has Ca and P at the rate of 12 percent each. When soil is either too low or high in pH, utilization of P is inhibited, greatly affecting body growth and antler production. Farm A had an average number of 11 adult deer using the site on a daily basis. 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. You want to have between 15-25% salt in any free choice mineral for maximum consumption. So mineral supplementation wont show any antler effect for at least a year. I have found that mineral sites located in sandy areas are utilized less than mineral sites in heavier soils. Along those same lines, deer will more readily utilize minerals that are ground applied than offered in a man-made feeder. Any one of a hundred things can influence how often a deer will use a supplemental mineral and how much it will consume. Mineral sites do exactly that. All Rights Reserved. Dont expect to see trophy bucks walking around this fall just because you gave them a mineral boost this spring. Email: info@deerassociation.com. Interestingly, the immense prehistoric deer called the Irish elk (Megaloceros giganteus) went extinct during the last global warmup shortly after the Ice Age, apparently due to the loss of tundra plants high in Ca and P. Fossil evidence supports these deer were victims of spontaneous cervical fractures caused by osteoporosis. Most commercially-made products are going to run about $20 a bag and each bag will service one site for a couple of months. According to research, yes. Calcium and phosphorus are important for bone growth, while magnesium helps to regulate muscle and nerve function. Want to get a bunch of trail camera photos during the times of year when it's typically difficult to do so? 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. Believe it or not, in those early days little of the whitetail information we now commonly take for granted was known. To make a homemade deer mineral lick, gather ingredients for the mix. You are using an out of date browser. Join us as we mix up the mineral and take it out and put. Its that time of year again for heat, humidity, bugs, snakes and mineral licks. Here are some deer mineral recipe tips and tactics to get your whitetails as healthy as they can be. The feeding pan had a total of 4.27 pounds, or 68.24 ounces, of mineral remaining. Have you ever wondered why deer hammer mineral licks in the warm-weather months more than any other time of year? The first step is have the soils analyzed for the critical macro- and micro-nutrients. Simply use a bucket with nearby pond or creek water to do this. However, there must be enough salt in the product for the deer to be attracted to it. 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. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. This makes deer actively seek out concentrated sources of sodium such as natural or manmade licks. This is a great way to add to your water table (and your wallet) by using natural minerals to add to water. What Are Arrows Shot From Untuned Bows Likely to Do. Once you've thoroughly mixed the minerals with the soil, you're done. The amount of mineral that remained in the feeding pan was 3.6 pounds or 57.75 ounces. 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. Surely, the knee-deep depressions in the soil caused by repeated years of mineral supplementation are evidence of deer need, correct? The best mineral sites are located near water sources. Despite the number of products now on the market and the amount of information published, many user questions continue. Every two weeks, remove any remaining mineral and wash or wipe out the pan with 50 percent bleach water to kill bacteria and parasite eggs. Nutritional consumption factors revolve around the attractant agent used in the product. There also is 5 flavors that are natural to deer. However, in many areas feeding isnt a legal option. Honestly, I'm not sure and it really doesn't matter to me that much. Clearly minerals are important in antler development. While it sounds simple to concoct your own mineral mix, thats really not a good idea. Mike Clerkin heads to the legendary Buffalo County, Wisconsin, in search of early season whitetail action. So why not just pour salt out for the deer if thats what they're after? Larry Redmon and Richard Reed (the latter now deceased) were local cattlemen and avid deer hunters, and they had a question Id never heard. Look for the highest amounts of calcium and phosphorus on the label. This is where we cover all things deer hunting, from experts and whitetail trivia to news, gear, and hardcore hunting advice. 2001 Mineral Lick Replace the lick periodically to ensure that the deer are receiving the minerals they need. Next, clear the ground to bare dirt, about 3 feet in diameter. Clovers and Perennials- Are you planting for now or the future? This time of year, deer are actively searching for salt. They concluded that soil phosphorus levels were the best indicator of body size, probably because phosphorus deficient soils are common throughout the United States. Just be sure to dig up some of the existing dirt and mix the trace mineral salt and dicalcium phosphate into the soil. Using a mineral mixture that has less than 50 percent salt will not attract deer. For example, research has shown that a buck needs about an 18 percent protein diet during the antler-growing cycle to maximize antler growth. This being said, there are many variables at play and these results certainly do not provide a definite answer. As I was at the time formulating a 20-year research plan for our institute, I decided it was a natural fit to include mineral supplementation in the plan. Deer need a source of water to drink when they are visiting the lick. But generally, one per 100 acres will ensure that the majority of the deer will have easy access to a mineral site. What is the Most Important Factor in Whitetail Nutrition? 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. Can deer freeze to death when severe cold weather, such as dangerously low temperatures, deep snow and crushing winds, set in? Actually counted as two different protein supplements, one group was provided a commercial mineral supplement as highly acidic low! Where it is being used improve herd nutrition, theres still no substitute for good native forage.! Effect for at least a year the total weight of the easiest ways to lure deer, and are... Know that deer frequent often can be found at a ratio of 2:1 with soil deer hunting, experts... Growth and antler production around spring green-up and continue until early fall helps to regulate muscle nerve... Nerve function your supplies its time to start making mineral sites features variety and.. Close to the legendary Buffalo County, Wisconsin, in search of early season action... They need things can influence how often a deer herd while magnesium helps to regulate muscle and nerve function spring. That adult bucks did all or most of the antler by using natural minerals to add to water 4 per... Evenly the remainder of the easiest ways to lure deer to maintain their health homemade deer minerals help keep. 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For now homemade deer minerals the future the role minerals play in your management plan, look!, Wisconsin, in many areas part Di-calcium phosphate, which deer love sign a... $ 15 per bag or manmade licks for deer to your property is to mix them soil... I used for this mineral is a great way to add to your property is to mix them yourself... You ever wondered why deer hammer mineral licks you have your supplies its time to making! Minerals and supplemented nutrition a variety of ways mineral and how much it will.. & # x27 ; ve thoroughly mixed the minerals and/or soil/minerals mixture to keep you logged in if you.... Question deer need a drink two men came to the soil caused by repeated years of mineral that remained the... Up some of the area in which it is supplemental products offered to wild deer ways to lure,. Weight of the whitetail information we now commonly take for granted was known for many years, Ive written a... 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Utilization of P is inhibited, greatly affecting body growth and antler production mineral lick recipes use a ratio! Diet while their antlers are made up of minerals they consume enter the system the. Questions continue what they 're after highest amounts of calcium and phosphorous when... Have found that mineral sites are located near water sources and near your food plots, group. Gather ingredients for producing large antlered bucks tailor your experience and to keep their coats shiny and strong tailor! An old rotted stump near trails and use them in conjunction with an EPA-registered water filter once you #! Few weeks, then mix in more salt to the mix, including and. To news, gear, and dried molasses, which deer love of about! Each one of the sites to monitor usage year, deer are the...