Salt licks

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jody5252
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Salt licks

Post by jody5252 »

What are your thoughts on using salt licks/calcium blocks, for Deer? What kind/type do you use, block or granules? Do you use them year round, (at your stand/in your hunting area) or just in the fall? :eusa-think:
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Deaf jeff
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Re: Salt licks

Post by Deaf jeff »

i use 30-06 mineral and believe it helps all around (antler, body weight, does/fawns). i put out granules as soon as the snow melts enough so i can get around my 80 acres with my 4 wheeler. have a lick towards the front of property and another near the back property line. the deer seem to use it most often spring/early summer but my cameras have caught them using the sites in the fall also but not nearly as often as in the spring. i have tried other minerals and plain old salt blocks buts see WAY BETTER results after i started using this brand. i keep tabs on the sites and replenish as needed
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elkaholic
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Re: Salt licks

Post by elkaholic »

we've used mineral - white etc, with good results.

the best I've found is apple blks - same 50lbers -way cheaper than little blocks and easy to split


this year I'm going with this - as we'll be traveling and I want to still provide for elk deer on my property

http://www.sweetpro.com/specialty-elk.html
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Re: Salt licks

Post by Boo »

If you want to attract deer, you can use use rock/road salt. Deer love salt but don't go for the minerals. From the perspective of managing deer, then you have to consider minerals. There are tons of mineral/salt recipes on the net.
https://results.searchlock.com/search/?q=dyi+mineral+lick+deer&tsrc=sd&sr=default-chrome&chnm=js_414
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XB I GO
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Re: Salt licks

Post by XB I GO »

These work best if there is water very close by. We cut a 55 gallon drum and put it in the ground. Sometimes we have to carry 5 gallon buckets to keep it full when it doesn't rain for a long time. There are a couple of seminars that talk about this. I went to the one by QDMA that was held as a Bass Pro store.
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Re: Salt licks

Post by BrotherRon »

I have a couple spots where I feed granulated mineral. I will be putting it out next weekend as the bucks need it for antler development and the does need it as well.
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catclr
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Re: Salt licks

Post by catclr »

jody5252 wrote:
Tue Mar 20, 2018 11:03 am
What are your thoughts on using salt licks/calcium blocks, for Deer? What kind/type do you use, block or granules? Do you use them year round, (at your stand/in your hunting area) or just in the fall? :eusa-think:
If going to go to the trouble of putting something out for your deer, then use something that will do them some good. The use of plain white salt or rock salt, does nothing for the deer's health beside make them drink water, just like it does for humans.
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Re: Salt licks

Post by catclr »

elkaholic wrote:
Tue Mar 20, 2018 11:57 am
we've used mineral - white etc, with good results.

the best I've found is apple blks - same 50lbers -way cheaper than little blocks and easy to split


this year I'm going with this - as we'll be traveling and I want to still provide for elk deer on my property

http://www.sweetpro.com/specialty-elk.html
After reading the information on the Sweet Pro product for Deer & Elk, that is the way to go. Good protein, minerals, and very low in SALT. Looks like a good choice to take care of your Deer and Elk.
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Re: Salt licks

Post by foofoo »

catclr wrote:
Tue Mar 20, 2018 2:29 pm
jody5252 wrote:
Tue Mar 20, 2018 11:03 am
What are your thoughts on using salt licks/calcium blocks, for Deer? What kind/type do you use, block or granules? Do you use them year round, (at your stand/in your hunting area) or just in the fall? :eusa-think:
If going to go to the trouble of putting something out for your deer, then use something that will do them some good. The use of plain white salt or rock salt, does nothing for the deer's health beside make them drink water, just like it does for humans.
i gave up spending on marketed magic antler potions. i just put out plain salt.its for helping lactating deers milk production.this helps the herd in general and doesnt cost as much.i dont think deer are using it just because it makes them drink water.ive read that deer dont seek out just minerals alone so the plain white salt must be something they need for a few months every year.hunting a deer off mineral lick doesnt do anything because by the early fall the deer dont use my mineral sites.
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Re: Salt licks

Post by outdoorsman »

I use mineral salt in blocks and bag and they tear it up there is a 3 foot diameter hole a foot deep
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Re: Salt licks

Post by Boo »

catclr wrote:
Tue Mar 20, 2018 2:29 pm
jody5252 wrote:
Tue Mar 20, 2018 11:03 am
What are your thoughts on using salt licks/calcium blocks, for Deer? What kind/type do you use, block or granules? Do you use them year round, (at your stand/in your hunting area) or just in the fall? :eusa-think:
If going to go to the trouble of putting something out for your deer, then use something that will do them some good. The use of plain white salt or rock salt, does nothing for the deer's health beside make them drink water, just like it does for humans.
Depending on where it's deposited/mined, it contains at least 80 some odd trace elements, some of which are good for antler/bone growth. They need some of what comes with rock salt. While they need more than just rock salt, rock salt is far from useless and is certainly good for anyone on a budget. Ever wonder what is in Trophy Rock? I might be wrong but I think there's merit in putting out rock salt for deer and what XB I GO makes sense, you should have a water source near by.

Check this out http://www.southernheritageland.com/files/pdfs/Wildlife%20Management/Salt.pdf

This quote is from https://www.qdma.com/minerals-for-whitetails/
Could the use of salt/mineral mixes simply be due to an increased need for salt? According to research, yes. During the spring and summer, deer operate at a sodium deficiency due to the high potassium and water content of the forage. This interferes with efficient sodium conversion in the body and increases the need for sodium. This makes deer actively seek out concentrated sources of sodium such as natural or man–made licks. Research in Tennessee supports this. 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.
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Bones
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Re: Salt licks

Post by Bones »

Use trophy rocks and according to the cams they are pounded daily through the summer , once it cools off they/ rocks go almost dead, cam's no pic's or little. They need the salt in the summer "hot" months to help absorb water as I understand. So makes sense why my cam's go almost dry come fall? Until I move them ( cams )
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Re: Salt licks

Post by Boo »

foofoo wrote:
Tue Mar 20, 2018 4:27 pm
i gave up spending on marketed magic antler potions. i just put out plain salt.its for helping lactating deers milk production.this helps the herd in general and doesnt cost as much.i dont think deer are using it just because it makes them drink water.ive read that deer dont seek out just minerals alone so the plain white salt must be something they need for a few months every year.hunting a deer off mineral lick doesnt do anything because by the early fall the deer dont use my mineral sites.
If you read the 2 web links I quoted earlier, you'll find that you're right, they need something in the salt. Deer, like most animals eat what they need. Just like in the winter, their diet changes because they need something different. Just like when deer lick cars, it's not just for fun, mother nature tells them to look for salt and mother nature sneaks in elements that they need. Salt is an essential element that we need in our bodies just like deer do.
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Phillyarcher
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Re: Salt licks

Post by Phillyarcher »

A good mixture that I use cost about $50 bucks. I go to a feed store and buy 50 Lb bags.

1 - bag of Stock-salt
2 - bags of Trace mineral salt
1 - bag of DiCalsium Phosphate

Mix one part Stock Salt ,two parts Trace Mineral and one part Dical. This will make about six to eight sights. I usually make about a three foot circle and mix into soil. They will dig this up pretty good. Also you can add some other stuff to this for aroma. I know some guys will add cool aid.
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Re: Salt licks

Post by foofoo »

a bag of solar salt from wally world or the depot is like 4-5 dollars. i use to be the guy who spent 50$ and more at the feed stores on formulations and other named brand minerals . :wtf: i just wanna let others know from years of doing mineral sites and buying every gadget known to deer hunting that you can put the plain white salt out and have some benefit to the deer and trail cam opportunity.there is a red salt mineral bag for a few dollars more but its not gonna grow antlers in my opinion.
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