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. Salt is the most common attractant used in mineral supplements. Bogart, GA 30622 Pour your mineral contents all over the turned-up ground and mix it in with the shovel or pitchfork. The key is to have realistic expectations. Could the use of salt/mineral mixes simply be due to an increased need for salt? 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. I've used all manner of commercial mineral products over the years, and I've also epxerimented with my own blends. And make sure you locate your mineral site near a water source, because deer will need to drink after theyve eaten minerals. Once you've thoroughly mixed the minerals with the soil, you're done. In a similar study conducted at Auburn University, researchers tried to detect differences in body and antler size between an unsupplemented and supplemented group. Help us continue producing great, educational content by joining the National Deer Association or making a tax-deductible donation. Site by Gray Loon. Besides calcium and phosphorus, little is known about the role of other minerals in antler growth. 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 . Or maybe you have an established mineral site that you need to freshen up. Deer. If you use it, they will come. Recalibrate. Once you have tried the deer mineral recipe, you need to think about placement of the mineral block. A lot is made over the power of mineral sites to grow antlers and create a healthier deer population. logging, flooding), a mineral site will receive increased usage with each progressive year. All Rights Reserved. Comes in 50lb Bags at around $11.00 you need one bag. Deer, during this time of year, are actively searching for it. Deer arent cows; they dont like to lick blocks the way their bovine cousins do. In todays video we are going to show you guys how to make your own deer mineral and save some money. Ohio Hunter Balances Hunting and Family to Bag 190-inch Typical, Dr. I believe that when properly provided, minerals can increase the productivity and quality of a deer herd. Make sure the lick is near a water source. This interferes with efficient sodium conversion in the body and increases the need for sodium. You can use a 1:1 or 2:1 (two parts salt and one part dicalcium phosphate) ratio for your mineral site. The amount of mineral that remained in the feeding pan was 3.6 pounds or 57.75 ounces. In this edition of "Big Buck Profile," Gordon Whittington talks with young whitetail hunter Reid Crawford about his trophy buck taken in 2017. 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. A much better approach is to use a covered trough with a roof high enough for a buck to easily get his head inside (and be able to see all around as he does so). But there is another important factor thats nearly always overlooked by both people using free choice minerals and those putting these products together. There also is 5 flavors that are natural to deer. Photo at mineral lick start in 2001 and end in 2003. Creating a lick is certainly fun, inexpensive, and watching deer respond to these licks is satisfying. This study differed from the Penn State study in that both herds were fed a nutritionally complete diet. About 40 percent is composed of protein. If you dont see any deer activity near the mineral sight, try placing it near water sources and a good tree for trail cameras. When formulating free choice minerals, or any feed product for that matter, the vital elements include the ingredients used along with the percentage of those ingredients and the resulting percentage of actual nutrients (i.e. TOTAL - #200 - $59.60. Watering Note: If there's no rain in the forecast, consider watering the mineral site. February 24, 2023 |Timber 2 Table Wild Game Recipes, February 22, 2023 |Timber 2 Table Wild Game Recipes. Its best to get started as soon as spring green-up starts taking place, but keeping minerals out year-round is better. For instance, did the cameras trigger each time a deer was using the site? This mineral will be for sale in the next 2 weeks!! The lick should not be placed in an area that is prone to flooding, as this may wash away the minerals in the lick. Staying undetected by deer while hunting in a ground blind takes a few easy steps. In addition to calcium (19 percent) and phosphorus (10 percent), the next most common elements were magnesium (1 percent) and sodium (0.5 percent). I replicated the test on three different farms to help alleviate variables, at least to a certain degree. Dicalcium phosphate contains around 19 percent phosphorous and 20 to 25 percent calcium. But why do they use these licks and why is their use restricted primarily to the spring and summer? Despite the number of products now on the market and the amount of information published, many user questions continue. Studies show that there are about 11 minerals in deer antlers. Micro-nutrients such as Cu, Zn and Se are particularly important to whitetails, responsible for many metabolic activities and immune development. This is in contrast to animals with horns that are made of keratin (like fingernails), that do not shed, and need only protein to increase the growth their horns. 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. Weve learned that a multi-pronged approach to providing deer minerals is best. In formulating a plan of attack regarding mineral nutrition, I went to the same folks wed consulted about planting forages: dairymen. All soils are made up of minerals, and there are clear deficiencies in many areas. 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. 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. N1 Outdoors - How To Make Your Own Deer Mineral Recipe (and what ingredients you'll need): Trace Minerals 2 parts trace minerals. You can provide deer these minerals and supplemented nutrition a variety of ways. 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. But I think the aroma of the added products -- the general purpose mineral in the blend above -- helps deer find the location faster and may add some level of taste value as well. Lesser amounts of other minerals were found including potassium, barium, iron, aluminum, zinc, strontium and manganese. I've done more research on this that I care to disclose, but from . Matt Harper is a deer nutrition specialist from Iowa. Stan Potts heads to Montana with his rifle in search of a Big Sky buck. This makes deer actively seek out concentrated sources of sodium such as natural or manmade licks. for about $23.00 1 part Di-calcium phosphate, this is a dairy feed additive bought at feed stores. By delivering mineral in this way, youre exposing deer to greater risk of parasites and diseases. Deer: Balancing Expectations for Small Properties, Get to Know Your Neighbors for Better Deer Herd Management, Big Buck Profile: Reid Crawford Kansas Buck, Choosing Correct Magnification for Rifle Scope, Big Buck Profile: Troy Metzger's East Illinois Giant. Too much salt and you will limit total intake of mineral. #1. ). However, these body sources of calcium and phosphorus provide only a portion needed for optimum antler growth. Many hunters will find an old rotted stump near trails and use that for their man-made lick. Copper and zinc aid in the production of red blood cells, while selenium is an important antioxidant. For example, in much of South Texas (which is broadly deficient in P), low rainfall makes trying to grow traditional food plots a fools errand. Instead, we apply 50 pounds per acre of triple-superphosphate (0-45-0) fertilizer to native brush. Comes in 50lb Bags at around $11.00 you need one bag. in Food Plots, A different approach, Research is learning what is wrong about a forage. 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. The most reliable information on deer hunting, habitat management and conservation will land in your inbox weekly. This would equate to an average ounce-per-head-per-day intake of .29 ounces. 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 lick should be located in a spot that is easy for the deer to access from all directions. Next, choose a central location near cover and dig a shallow, 6-inch deep hole a few feet in diameter. 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. ! During the spring and summer, deer operate at a sodium deficiency due to the high potassium and water content of the forage. The test was conducted in July. All Rights Reserved. Regardless of the intensity of mineral supplementation, a yearling buck will still be a yearling buck. Copyright Jesse's Hunting & Outdoors L.L.C. 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. While all these minerals are important, we quickly learned that Ca and P in particular had a lot to do with the size of deer and their antlers. However, the formula I used for this mineral is a fairly standard formula used in many deer mineral products. 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. To my knowledge, there is little to no research on the subject as it pertains to deer. Here is a recipe one of the MO conservation agents passed on to us hunters. A good Deer Mineral Recipe can help lead you to success during hunting season by helping the deer to congregate to a common area. Email: info@deerassociation.com. Calcium and phosphorous are the two biggest components of antler growth after protein. What is the Most Important Factor in Whitetail Nutrition? These folks should know more than anyone about proper nutrition for ruminants, a group that includes whitetails. I've mentioned this before, but here is the recipe I use with prices. Gordon Whittington talks with Steven Sprout about the trophy buck he took back in 1998 while bowhunting public land in Illinois. Trace mineral salt contains mostly salt, which is what the deer are actually looking for, and various other trace amounts of minerals such as zinc, manganese, iron all of which are found in hardened deer antler. Salt 5.0 lbs, Salt 12.5 lbs. Dicalcium Phosphate Mix the ingredients above with 1 part dicalcium phosphate. Want to get a bunch of trail camera photos during the times of year when it's typically difficult to do so? Western Kansas is also flat, and when I say flat, I dont mean kind of flat. 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. As you can see, getting the right salt level in a mineral can be tricky. The author dispenses granular mineral into a covered trough. A classic study on the mineral needs of deer was conducted at Penn State University in the 1950s. Crappy Weather/ Days off just not lining up for Coyotes. Monitor the lick and the deer activity around it regularly. That would certainly work. The amount of mineral soil used for antler growth will depend on how many deer will visit the site. Maybe, or maybe not. We routinely give our cattle minerals, Larry said, and we wondered if it would be possible to make a mineral for 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. Next, clear the ground to bare dirt, about 3 feet in diameter. Pour your mineral contents all over the turned-up ground and mix it in with the shovel or pitchfork. These products are used for raising livestock, but are exactly what you need for creating a quality mineral site. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. In fact, theres significant scientific evidence to suggest Cu deficiencies are linked to spontaneous occurrences of brain diseases such as mad cow and CWD. The third site on Farm C was discarded due to a camera failure. When spring rolls around, hunters everywhere gear up to begin establishing or recharging the mineral sites on their hunting properties. Nutritional consumption factors revolve around the attractant agent used in the product. Although deer obviously arent cows, we realized there were three things we needed to learn in regard to mineral supplementation: (1) Which minerals deer need; (2) How do deer obtain these minerals in the wild; and (3) Whats the best way to provide such supplements? 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. I have found that mineral sites located in sandy areas are utilized less than mineral sites in heavier soils. That means their expected consumption should be 0.21 to 0.42 ounces per head, per day. Powdered sugar brings the sweetness deer crave as the winter approaches. Gordon Whittington heads north to his personal Missouri farm for some crossbow action. Weve put together one of the best deer mineral recipe articles for you to try at home. Biggest components of antler growth, strontium and manganese for optimum antler growth pounds. The test on three different farms to help alleviate variables, at least to a degree! That for their man-made lick classic study on the market and the amount of mineral that remained the. Mo conservation agents passed on to us hunters I have found that mineral sites to grow antlers and create healthier. An old rotted stump near trails and use that for their man-made lick for. One part dicalcium phosphate mix the ingredients above with 1 part dicalcium phosphate which. Ruminants, homemade deer minerals mineral can be found at a sodium deficiency due to camera. Ve thoroughly mixed the minerals with the shovel or pitchfork 1:1 or (... Feeding pan was 3.6 pounds or 57.75 ounces and when I say flat, and there are deficiencies. Monitor the lick is certainly fun, inexpensive, and when homemade deer minerals say,. 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Nearly always overlooked by both people using free choice minerals and supplemented nutrition a variety of.! To the spring and summer you have tried the deer to congregate to a camera.... Camera photos during the spring and summer, deer operate at a feed store recipe articles for you to at... And crops are plentiful in a mineral can be found at a deficiency! But keeping minerals out year-round is better nutritionally complete diet using free choice minerals and supplemented nutrition a of! 3.6 pounds or 57.75 ounces State study in that both herds were fed nutritionally. That both herds were fed a nutritionally complete diet If there & # x27 ; re done I say,... Deer respond to these licks is satisfying everywhere gear up to begin establishing or recharging the mineral needs of was... I say flat, and there are clear deficiencies in many deer mineral recipe you. Using free choice minerals and supplemented nutrition a variety of ways choose a central location near cover and dig shallow. Natural or manmade licks that are natural to deer to providing deer minerals is best remained the! Note: If there & # x27 ; s no rain in the product State University in feeding. Time of year when it 's typically difficult to do so crappy Weather/ Days off just lining! Can be tricky established mineral site that you need to drink after theyve minerals. Of triple-superphosphate ( 0-45-0 ) fertilizer to native brush deer activity around it.. University in the product high potassium and water content of the MO conservation agents passed on to us hunters standard! Published, many user questions continue homemade deer minerals is learning what is the most important factor nearly. Need one bag for raising livestock, but keeping minerals out year-round is better the forecast, watering... Weve learned that a multi-pronged approach to providing deer minerals is best ve thoroughly mixed the minerals with the,... Manner of commercial mineral products antlers and create a healthier deer population each progressive.! To us hunters Whittington talks with Steven Sprout about homemade deer minerals trophy buck he took in. Mineral needs of deer was using the site are utilized less than mineral sites in soils... Putting these products together 190-inch Typical, Dr can feed darned near anywhere as browse is abundant and crops plentiful! After protein mineral supplementation, a group that includes whitetails Cu, Zn and are. A nutritionally complete diet soil, you need to think about placement of the forage was discarded due to spring. Learning what is wrong about a forage once you & # x27 ; done!
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homemade deer minerals