Now that we have an idea of the role minerals play in your management plan, lets look at the recipe. Once you've thoroughly mixed the minerals with the soil, you're done. Regardless of the intensity of mineral supplementation, a yearling buck will still be a yearling buck. According to research, yes. Research in Tennessee supports this. There are commercial and homemade granular mixes available. Mineral sites do exactly that. 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. This particularly is true for sandy soils, as well as highly acidic (low pH) or basic (high pH) soils. ). Pour your mineral contents all over the turned-up ground and mix it in with the shovel or pitchfork. Do I believe that? Privacy Policy, N1 Outdoors Deer Antler Leather Patch Hat (Realtree Timber/Black), N1 Outdoors Blaze Orange Leather Patch Hat, N1 Outdoors Bowhunt Oh Yeah Bowhunting Tee, N1 Outdoors Leather Patch Trapper Hat (Whitetail Antler design various patterns), Edge of the Outdoors Tee (featuring Tuffhead Evolution Broadhead), Yes You Can Bait Deer In Oregon But There Are A Few Things To Consider Loup City. For example, for many years, it was commonly accepted that adult bucks did all or most of the breeding. Sodium helps to regulate blood pressure and fluid balance in the body. I group these factors into two categories non-nutritional and nutritional factors. If the buck consumes only 3 pounds of the 28 percent protein product but eats 5 pounds of the 22 percent product, he is actually getting more protein from the 22 percent product than the 28 percent product. Granular minerals seem to work better than blocks, as most of the usage of blocks occurs in the surrounding dirt as the minerals leach into the soil. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Research shows granular minerals facilitate increased consumption by animals as they're able to literally eat (vs. lick) the mixture. The first step is have the soils analyzed for the critical macro- and micro-nutrients. How to Make the World's Best Homemade Deer Attractant Feed Mineral - YouTube Skip navigation Sign in 0:00 / 18:02 Intro How to Make the World's Best Homemade Deer Attractant Feed. 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. What Are Arrows Shot From Untuned Bows Likely to Do. This interferes with efficient sodium conversion in the body and increases the need for sodium. Anderson, SC, 2023 N1 Outdoors. These products can be mixed with water or placed in a tree stump. Join us as we mix up the mineral and take it out and put. Powdered sugar brings the sweetness deer crave as the winter approaches. Minerals are also important for does. 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. However, these body sources of calcium and phosphorus provide only a portion needed for optimum antler growth. You could also create your own homemade mineral licks for deer, by combining various bulk minerals (e.g., stock salt, trace minerals, dicalcium phosphate for deer) from your local coop. I've used all manner of commercial mineral products over the years, and I've also epxerimented with my own blends. Next, clear the ground to bare dirt, about 3 feet in diameter. Furthermore, when the same deer were examined the following year as 2.5yearolds, no differences were detected between the two groups. Arguably, the test might only be representative for the particular deer mineral I was using, and a different mineral with different salt levels or other attractants might have shown a different result. Have you ever traveled through western Kansas? However, deer are not attracted to a high-salt solution and will not consume it. All North American Whitetail subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. About 40 percent is composed of protein. The ingredients include Trace mineral salt, Di-calcium phosphate, and dried molasses. Deer minerals are simple math. However, the formula I used for this mineral is a fairly standard formula used in many deer mineral products. But this does not guarantee that deer will use the site. I've mentioned this before, but here is the recipe I use with prices. Comes in 50lb Bags at around $11.00 you need one bag. Additionally, a homemade deer mineral lick can also include minerals like iron, manganese, and cobalt to provide additional health benefits. So a product that is very high in salt will likely have less total consumption than a product lower in salt. Salt alone doesnt contain all the minerals bucks need for antler growth, nor does it provide what's essential for does, fawn development and milk production. This is a great way to add to your water table (and your wallet) by using natural minerals to add to water. These categories indicate the amount used by the animal. As you can imagine, after a deer paws up and eats a bunch of salty dirt, its going to need a drink. 1 part Di-calcium phosphate, this is a dairy feed additive bought at feed stores. Think of minerals more like a vitamin, filling the gap in any deficiencies that might exist in a deers diet. Almost all soils more than 2550 miles from a seacoast are low in sodium. To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine. Compared to sheep and goats, whitetails are copper hogs that need a lot of the mineral. 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. Those actually were wonderful days to do research, as my colleagues and I picked the low-hanging fruit of knowledge. I have also found that unless there are major changes in the vicinity of the site (i.e. This should be followed by developing a food-plot or native-plant fertilization program to ameliorate any deficiencies. 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. Factors Affecting Mineral Intake Monitor the lick and the deer activity around it regularly. So, if we take a 200-pound buck and say that hes eating 4 percent of his body weight each day, then this equates to 8 pounds of total daily food consumption. Phone: 1-800-209-DEER (3337) Then use a shovel or pitchfork to turn up the ground. If youre trying to lure deer, place slow-releasing mineral blocks near bedding areas and water sources in the summer. Clovers and Perennials- Are you planting for now or the future? 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. As you can see, getting the right salt level in a mineral can be tricky. 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. For instance, did the cameras trigger each time a deer was using the site? July 1, 2022 |Timber 2 Table Wild Game Recipes, February 27, 2023 |The Realblog with Stephanie Mallory, February 28, 2023 |Brow Tines and Backstrap. The amount of mineral soil used for antler growth will depend on how many deer will visit the site. Once you have your supplies its time to start making mineral sites. Minerals are important to all living things, serving a host of physiological functions. Food additive these minerals are combined with a supplemental feed, and deer get them while consuming the feed. No one can say for sure, but its probably because most minerals by themselves are bitter. This is also why mineral licks make excellent trail camera spots in the summer. Many hunters will find an old rotted stump near trails and use that for their man-made lick. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. A lot is made over the power of mineral sites to grow antlers and create a healthier deer population. Even taking all of this into consideration, I believe that, at the very least, the results strongly suggest that the intake of free choice minerals is substantially lower than 1 to 2 ounces per head per day. Free choice minerals are probably one of the most difficult products where you can get a good sense of intake. Just be sure to buy and use them in conjunction with an EPA-registered water filter. Could the use of salt/mineral mixes simply be due to an increased need for salt? I've done more research on this that I care to disclose, but from . We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. 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. Research shows granular minerals facilitate increased consumption by animals as theyre able to literally eat (vs. lick) the mixture. TINK'S Doe-in-Rut Buck Lure 2. 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. Too much salt and you will limit total intake of mineral. In its own way, western Kansas is quite beautiful, that is, of course, unless you like a lot of trees. Making your own deer mineral lick can be a simple and cost-effective way to help increase the odds that your hunt will be successful. That's why mineral licks make excellent trail camera spots in the summer. However, when antlers are in the velvet stage and growing, they contain about 80 percent protein and 20 percent phosphorous and calcium. For most whitetail managers, one of the best ways to supplement mineral nutrition is (where legal) through supplemental feeding. 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. You can also use this as a trail cam to monitor the growth of your deers antlers. So when I am creating new sites, I try several locations and replenish the ones that receive continued use while abandoning the sites with little or no use. 2023 National Deer Association, All Rights Reserved. In addition, one group was provided a commercial mineral supplement. Important macro-nutrients include: calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na) and sulfur (S). Dont expect to see trophy bucks walking around this fall just because you gave them a mineral boost this spring. There are several different ways to supplement a deers diet with vitamins, minerals, and chelated trace elements. Also, slightly burying the pan helped to ensure the mineral would not be spilled. 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. Making deer mineral licks is not a hassle and you can do it on your own in a few simple steps. As you seek to improve herd nutrition, theres still no substitute for good native forage management. It won't take long to sink a few hundred bucks into the ground. 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. Dig a whole 2-3" deep by about 3 feet across. Whitetail Institute Winter-Greens Deer Food Buying Guide Easy to use Effectiveness Affordability Portability Frequently Asked Questions Whitetail Institute Mineral for Deer 5. 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. The best places for minerals are around a water source ponds, creeks, lakes, etc. Site by Gray Loon. Ingredients: Makes 200 lbs. However, several studies have shown that while deer readily use mineral licks high in salt, they rarely, if ever, use pure mineral supplements. 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. In fact, theres significant scientific evidence to suggest Cu deficiencies are linked to spontaneous occurrences of brain diseases such as mad cow and CWD. Calcium and phosphorous are the two biggest components of antler growth after protein. Build your own deer base is designed to make your own deer mineral using individual ingredients or you can add it to either your current mineral to make it more fortified. They bed seemingly wherever they want and there are no scrapes or super-active trail systems to target. 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. The feeding pan had a total of 4.27 pounds, or 68.24 ounces, of mineral remaining. Believe it or not, in those early days little of the whitetail information we now commonly take for granted was known. Any one of a hundred things can influence how often a deer will use a supplemental mineral and how much it will consume. 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. Of course, the other macro- and micro-nutrients should be included in lesser amounts. I replicated the test on three different farms to help alleviate variables, at least to a certain degree. A balanced pelleted ration can deliver all the mineral nutrition needed by the herd. 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. 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. This will help you determine if the lick is being used, and if it needs to be moved or replenished. In formulating a plan of attack regarding mineral nutrition, I went to the same folks wed consulted about planting forages: dairymen. Growing antlers are composed mostly of proteins (80 percent by weight); whereas hardened antlers contain roughly equal amounts of proteins and minerals. Deer will be less likely to visit the lick if there is too much human presence. However, in many areas feeding isnt a legal option. An easy and beneficial mineral recipe for whitetail deer and an aid in antler. Mineral licks arent going to magically grow trophy racks on a bucks head, but they are a piece of the management puzzle. If you dont have established mineral sites, then youll need to make some. For about $50 or less, you can buy all the ingredients you need to make several productive and quality mineral sites for deer. 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 . 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. They know that deer typically begin using supplemental minerals around spring green-up and continue until early fall. 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