Starting mineral sights in big woods.

[Steve Heiting]

I'd be interested in hearing about creating "mineral sites" that are more economical than the 12 lb Trophy Rocks that cost $15 - $20.

If you want to go cheap you can create a mineral site with a 50# bag of water softener salt. The downside is you now have a large, white, very obvious mineral site that anyone can find, at least until rain has dissolved the salt into the soil. If that doesn't matter, then that's the way to do it. The deer will eat the soil for years to the point they'll create a large pit.

I suggested Trophy Rocks because they're a whole lot less obvious, which can be important on public land.

[comeback_kid]

I've been told the trick can be getting them to find it. So guys have mentioned using a non-sex based deer scent. At the site.

I heard a guy on W2H a while back talk about how he had this mix with kool-aid and other sweet substances(maybe apple?). He would spray all around the area of the mineral site to get the deer to find it quickly. He said in a very short time they were really hitting the mineral site.

[Joe68]

In Michigan lucky Buck is popular. It's easy. Ya buy it in a couple gallon pale. It has a very strong apple sent. The wildlife loves it. I dump it on dead trees or stump. The deer will chew and dig at it. Works great.

[JMAR85]

I mix a bag of trace mineral and a bag of stock salt. It's cheap and gets you enough minerals to do multiple sites. And like Steve mentioned that site will stay established for years to come. I usually refresh it every spring though. This past turkey season I walked passed a mineral sight that I made 3 years ago and never came back to it and the deer were still hammering it. I'd be interested to know if doing this affects the soil somehow because I find it hard to believe that the salt I dumped there years back is still there, or maybe it is...

[Tjterry]

Well I went to Tractor supply looking for the bag of trace minerals but they didn't have it. They did have those Trophy rocks so I bought one and I'll put it out in the morning with a camera over it and let it soak till September. Hopefully I'll find something good.

[<DK>]

Well I went to Tractor supply looking for the bag of trace minerals but they didn't have it. They did have those Trophy rocks so I bought one and I'll put it out in the morning with a camera over it and let it soak till September. Hopefully I'll find something good.

Guys say the TR is the best iv yet to get to use one. If you want it to dissovle faster so people dont find it, break it up w a hammer or you make more sites w it. If you want something cheap and works, im testing water softener pellets this season and its worked good so far. Someone told me used ones from the house work even better. This is my first site - 20lb bag / 6 weeks noticable pattern changes. 3 very visible trails coming into the area that were not obviously before.

[<DK>]

I'd be interested in hearing about creating "mineral sites" that are more economical than the 12 lb Trophy Rocks that cost $15 - $20.

If you want to go cheap you can create a mineral site with a 50# bag of water softener salt. The downside is you now have a large, white, very obvious mineral site that anyone can find, at least until rain has dissolved the salt into the soil. If that doesn't matter, then that's the way to do it. The deer will eat the soil for years to the point they'll create a large pit.

I suggested Trophy Rocks because they're a whole lot less obvious, which can be important on public land.

Sorry i missed your post Steve. Iv found that using less of the pellets is better and dissolves way quicker. Things probably would have went better of i had spread them out more.

[Fins & Tines]

I use Grandpa Ray Outdoors RepelX. I put it out on a military crest between a bedding point and a primary scrape about 15yds off the 1/3rd elevation trail. If you followed the point down beyond the military crest about 150yds, you'll hit a year-round creek.

I checked it 9 days after and it was almost completely gone. There were tracks of all sizes through it, from yearling to bruiser. I've got another bag but this one has been out since the first week of May and is still drawing plenty of action. I won't replenish it until I put up the ladder stand in a couple of weeks. After that, no contact until the first sit in October.


I chose GRO because of the nutritional breakdown..the other brands are mostly salt, and that's not helping the deer any. Plus the RepelX has a fly repellent and a digestion aid. I plan on eating what consumes this stuff, so I gotta give em the good stuff so I have the best possible meat to feed the family.


No, I'm not affiliated with Grandpa Ray. I just like the stuff.

[bigwoodshuntn]

I'd be interested in hearing about creating "mineral sites" that are more economical than the 12 lb Trophy Rocks that cost $15 - $20.

Go to a local feed mill or co-op. They will usually mix you up a batch of mineral. Feed lime, trace mineral, salt, and flavoring. 50# bag cost me 12 bucks and I can do 5 sites with that.

The flavoring is key for me as they will smell it for a long ways.

[sureshotscott]

I'd be interested in hearing about creating "mineral sites" that are more economical than the 12 lb Trophy Rocks that cost $15 - $20.

Go to a local feed mill or co-op. They will usually mix you up a batch of mineral. Feed lime, trace mineral, salt, and flavoring. 50# bag cost me 12 bucks and I can do 5 sites with that.

The flavoring is key for me as they will smell it for a long ways.

Thank you and all the others for the suggestions. Just the previous suggestion of Tractor Supply was helpful; they have a good selection of minerals/feeds much better than the local big box sporting goods store.