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Mineral Licks

I'm guessing that a mineral lick is a very poor way to up the protein in a deer's diet. That is unless they eat 5 pounds of dirt from your mineral lick a day.

You can buy protein from a local feed store as it is a common additive when farmers grind feed. I think it might "spoil" in a lick, possibly making deer avoid it.
 
most of the protein will come from your food plots, if you want to supplement this, antler king merchandises a protein block to supplement the protein if you are discouraged by mineral blocks.as you know, whatever you choose cant hurt- salt- mineral- its what you prefer, all you are doing is supplimenting their intake on what you feel they may lacking, its all nutrients that they need, i figure you cant hurt by not supplying any of it, if they need,or want it , it may benifit you in the long run by doing so.any thing to help establish anler growth is a plus.its every hunters choice, do what you feel is right for your area.
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I'm guessing that a mineral lick is a very poor way to up the protein in a deer's diet </div></div>

I agree /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cool.gif
 
I guess that goes to wonder why whitetail institute is putting protein in there mineral bags.

Thanks for the quick replies guys.

The food plots are already available but i would really like to get the deer as much protein as possible during this growth stage so i was looking at other alternatives that wouldn't cost me an arm and a leg. I'll tell you one thing they should have plenty of white clover. Frost seeded 14 acres into the crp in march. Now i just have to keep up w/ mowing.
 
Can you start a new mineral lick when it is wet out like it has been?

Going to be kinda of tough to mix it in the dirt.

I plan on taking the layer of brome and brome roots off the top, loosen up the dirt below as best as I can (probably wet) and mix in the before mentioned homemade mineral ingredients.

All with the idea to place a camera facing North toward the lick.

1st attempt, hope it works.
 
I wouldn't worry a whole lot about mixing it if the soil is real wet. If it were me, I'd just dig a shallow bed, say a 2-3 foot square and dump it in. You can try to incorporate it a little but wet is good for licks. It helps to slurry up the mix and perk it into the soil. They'll dig away at it, spending time there for your cams.
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: IowaBuckMaster</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Can you start a new mineral lick when it is wet out like it has been?

Going to be kinda of tough to mix it in the dirt.

I plan on taking the layer of brome and brome roots off the top, loosen up the dirt below as best as I can (probably wet) and mix in the before mentioned homemade mineral ingredients.

All with the idea to place a camera facing North toward the lick.

1st attempt, hope it works. </div></div>

Flip back a page an you'll see I just dumped it on top of the ground and by that night they were devouring it. Mixing it is fine but rain will push it into the soil this time of year.

I think I would rather pour it on top then mix it with...mud /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif
 
Put mixture in today. Took brome off, poured it on and turned over some dirt and spaded some in. Going back Saturday to do some chainsawing and will check on it. How often do you have to freshen it up?

I put in almost a 5 gallon bucket full. Hope that was about right?
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">How often do you have to freshen it up? </div></div>

Once they find it they may clean it out in a few weeks, just something you have to monitor.

I have one spot that they have eaten the dirt close to 2 feet deep 1/2 the size of a car! I need to make a new one because it fills up with water all the time /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/crazy.gif
 
Ok...this mineral lick is starting to look more like an elk wallow then a place for deer to eat mineral... /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/crazy.gif

Minerallick6-1.jpg


50#'s of TM salt in late winter and that's it...guess I need to start a new one on higher ground.....
 
i put out 6 blocks. 2 monthes ago ,3 salt, 3 mineral, checked them last weekend, looks like the same wallering elk hole,i havent even used the mix yet.all were gone!im going to do some mix, some block, doesnt matter , they need it this time of yr & seem to be starving for it.good luck to all.
Happiness is a large rack!!
 
I'm still getting my moneys worth out of my $7 bag of TM salt I put out back in March.

7-5MineralLick.jpg


There still fighting over it... /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

Fights.jpg


but one does ned to remember to trim the weeds... /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/crazy.gif

DangWeeds.jpg


always fun to watch the antler development

LittleBuck.jpg


and see how many you can get in one pic... /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

SmallBucks.jpg


been getting 1500 pics and wearing out expensive lithium batteries in a week or though. Still cheap entertainment! /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cool.gif
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: dbltree</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I've had mine out for awhile now and they have such big holes they are full of water!

I've been putting fresh mix out next to the "hole" although once it dries out...they'll just keep "diggin"
grin.gif


Here's a link to some previous discussion on Trace Minerals and the "concoction" I use.</div></div>

The link appears broken
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: lassig</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: dbltree</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I've had mine out for awhile now and they have such big holes they are full of water!

I've been putting fresh mix out next to the "hole" although once it dries out...they'll just keep "diggin" /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

Here's a link to some previous discussion on Trace Minerals and the "concoction" I use.</div></div>

The link appears broken </div></div>

Thanks! I fixed it... Trace Minerals
 
I'm done hunting on one farm for the year so I decided to start up the mineral lick. I get as many as 1500 pics a week during the winter using mostly just trace mineral salt.

I just dump it on the ground and they go nuts over it for months! /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cool.gif

I noticed they starting to come in the yard now....

Deerinthelawn.jpg


So I decided to throw some corn in the feeder

Corninfeeder.jpg


Nothing to do with minerals but I'm thinking of trying some mineral in the feeder eventually.

Looks like I need some new bungees for the "antler trap"... /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif

S5001983.jpg


They sure don't mind eating corn out of it... /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

Busierbucket.jpg


Just thinking my mineral lick wouldn't turn into a "pond" like the previous pics I posted... we'll see.... /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif
 
Di-calcium phosphate

Where can I find this stuff. I have looked around here in sioux falls some and haven't had any luck. Any other names for it. I would like to try mAking my own sites this year, used commercial name brands last year and they get quite expensive. Thanks, Bryan
 
They really like the trace mineral salt from bomgaars. Very inexpensive compared to the name brand stuff.Even when I use the 30-06 from imperial whitetail I always get the site started with the trace mineral salt, then usually mix it.
 
For folks who mix their own minerals, how much would you say it ends up costing on average for 50 lbs????
 
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