My Mineral Lick Recipe/Methodology

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MOBIGBUCKS
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My Mineral Lick Recipe/Methodology

Unread postby MOBIGBUCKS » Sat Mar 27, 2010 6:05 pm

Hey guys,

I meant to post this a couple days ago but got sidetracked. I just wanted to share some of my methods and ingredients for my homemade mineral licks. If you look at the ingredients of most commercial attractants you will see that they are all mostly salt and do little to anything else for the deer. You can buy theses additives in most grain elevators or livestock stores for around $60. The mixture is a ratio of ingredients using mostly salt, but you have to have the salt so the deer take in the minerals. They will not eat the minerals by itself. The mixture makes 250 lbs and here is my recipe:

-50 pounds of Stock Mineral Salt
-100 pounds of Trace Mineral salt-looks red (has some minerals)
-50 pounds of Di-Calcium Phosphate (This is what the deer need for antler development)
-50 pounds of dried Molasses (horse feed additive but attracts deer to area)

The Mollases is optional, but I recommend it when setting up a new lick. This helps the deer find the mineral lick. (However, it should be set up in such a way where they travel anyway.)

First off, decide how many sites you want to put on your property. I make a map and pinpoint my locations prior to heading out into the field. Make sure you pick areas that are close to feeding areas or are transition routes from feeding to beddding. Do not set up in or near known bedding areas! I have made this mistake before and it never turns out well. Remember your goal here....To take an inventory....not hunt over :) If you have an idea what your deer are doing, you will easily find these areas where your trailcameras and licks should be places. Make sure you pick spots that you can enter/exit easily without alerting any deer if possible. Your trailcam photos will mostly be at night, but who cares you get to see who lives in the area.

Last weekend, I put out my annual mixture and made 10 different mineral licks on one of the properties I hunt. I physically hauled in 25 pounds to each area. Don't mix ingredients until the day it goes in the ground! I mix mine at home in the back of my truck before heading out. When you mix, get a coffee can and do the 1:2:1:1 ratio from aabove and you will then have a proper mixture. I mix it in a big trash can in the back of my truck because that is a lot of weight to move around after it is all mixed. After each spot, I head back to the truck and dig out 25 more pounds and put it in a 5 gallon bucket. When you reach each individual site, dig out a six inch deep hole about 24-36 inches wide and add your mixture to the hole. Using a shovel, add the dug up soil to the mixture. Idealistically, do this prior to a rain, so the minerals and salt properly leach into the ground before animals begin visiting the spot. It is some hard work, but the deer really like it and you will get a great inventory of your property if you place them properly. If you have any questions we can discuss any topics here in the thread.

Here is a couple photos of deer using the lick...


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BackWoodsHunter
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Re: My Mineral Lick Recipe/Methodology

Unread postby BackWoodsHunter » Sat Mar 27, 2010 6:34 pm

I've been waiting for this I hope to make one up like this as well and post reults. Very cool thanks for the help MO!!! is that a piebald in the first pic or just a patchy summer coat??
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Re: My Mineral Lick Recipe/Methodology

Unread postby WiBowhuntress » Sun Mar 28, 2010 12:38 am

Sounds like you've got a good thing going there MO, but unfortunately, it's illegal in the area I hunt in Wisconsin.
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Re: My Mineral Lick Recipe/Methodology

Unread postby MOBIGBUCKS » Sun Mar 28, 2010 2:22 am

The first picture is an infared photo from one of my bushnell cameras. The deer look weired but you can still see a lot of good antler characteristics.

That sucks about being illegal in your hunting area....I personally don't think it spreads CWD...I can see blocks maybe but not loose minerals mixed and leached into the soil.
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Re: My Mineral Lick Recipe/Methodology

Unread postby MOBIGBUCKS » Sun Mar 28, 2010 2:29 am

I also forgot to mention the use of trail cameras in my spots. I have 10 mineral licks out and only like 6 cameras. I also have other licks on other areas, but only put cameras where I find mature buck tracks in and around the licks. Statistically speaking, some licks will only be hit by does and fawns; However, others will be hit by the mature bucks which I am targeting. I'll freshen up these licks in two months and then again a month after. (Doesn't take much to freshen up 5 pounds of salt or Deer cocaine) When I go to freshen the area, I will take a rake to "clean" up the ground for new tracks. While I am there, I will look for big tracks in and around the area. If I find big tracks, that is where the cameras are placed. Late summer velvet footage with trail cameras is a rather small window and you want to make sure your cameras are placed properly :)
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Re: My Mineral Lick Recipe/Methodology

Unread postby BackWoodsHunter » Sun Mar 28, 2010 3:33 am

That's a good tip Mo about the cams thanks again for the great post! :) i think, based on the little I've read, they are saying CWD is transmitted through bacteria in the soil and can be passed through the soil and on grasses from one animal to the next. So I don't think it would matter if it was a block or a nutrient filled hole in the ground because either way the deer will be licking in the same general spot and eating off of the same small area. Therefore if one is infected and starts poking around the bacteria/disease ends up in the soil there then its a matter of time for another deer to pick it up. Not sure if thats 100% personally I think CWD is a crock, its been out west in the elk herd for 50yrs and no ones throwing a fit about it. stupid stupid but thats just my .02
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Re: My Mineral Lick Recipe/Methodology

Unread postby Dabowhunter » Tue Mar 30, 2010 9:58 am

The feed store in mondovi wi mixed me 50 lb.s of the dicalphos, trace minerals and salt for ten bucks last year. Gets pounded spring till early fall.
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Re: My Mineral Lick Recipe/Methodology

Unread postby Hurricane » Tue Mar 30, 2010 12:22 pm

Wow, that is great that you all can do that!! Fantastic way to see what kind of bucks you have and maybe boost the antler development a bit too. Unfortunately, it is illegal in my whole state :cry: :cry: Funny thing about that is the farm stores here sell the stuff to put out...go figure!! Up until 2 years ago my parents had cattle and so had mineral tubs in the barn...with our poor clay soil and lack of natural mineral those deer would actually go in the barn to get at the tubs!!
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Re: My Mineral Lick Recipe/Methodology

Unread postby huntinnurse » Tue Mar 30, 2010 4:33 pm

Unfortunately, most places in Wisc it is illegal to do it, but, some people do it any way.
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Re: My Mineral Lick Recipe/Methodology

Unread postby BackWoodsHunter » Tue Mar 30, 2010 4:38 pm

I bet a hay loft would make a comfy treestand hurricane :lol:
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Re: My Mineral Lick Recipe/Methodology

Unread postby MOBIGBUCKS » Wed Mar 31, 2010 2:02 am

Hurricane wrote:Wow, that is great that you all can do that!! Fantastic way to see what kind of bucks you have and maybe boost the antler development a bit too. Unfortunately, it is illegal in my whole state :cry: :cry: Funny thing about that is the farm stores here sell the stuff to put out...go figure!! Up until 2 years ago my parents had cattle and so had mineral tubs in the barn...with our poor clay soil and lack of natural mineral those deer would actually go in the barn to get at the tubs!!


Dang...I had no idea Illinois did not allow mineral licks.
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Re: My Mineral Lick Recipe/Methodology

Unread postby Pike » Tue Apr 06, 2010 12:44 pm

Since mineral supplements do nothing to benefit deer other than providing them with a source of salt (which is very important) I just use 50lb. generic mineral/salt blocks and 50lb. bags that you can get from you local feed store or TSC for $6.00 each. Over the years I have tried every type of deer cocaine, lick, block, rock and home made recipe that has come across the net and the generic blocks work just as good if not better than the commerical supplements or home made recipes. Pike
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Re: My Mineral Lick Recipe/Methodology

Unread postby AC Rider » Wed Apr 07, 2010 3:32 am

I put out a lick on Friday. Thanks for the recipe MO, I'll keep you posted on what happens. Plus, 250 lbs. for just over $30.00 :D
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Re: My Mineral Lick Recipe/Methodology

Unread postby Slider1005 » Wed Apr 07, 2010 5:13 am

BackWoodsHunter wrote:I bet a hay loft would make a comfy treestand hurricane :lol:


Funny you say that BWH A guy I used to work with hunts out of a hay loft during gun season. He called it his barn blind. :lol:
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Re: My Mineral Lick Recipe/Methodology

Unread postby MOBIGBUCKS » Wed Apr 07, 2010 7:58 am

AC Rider wrote:I put out a lick on Friday. Thanks for the recipe MO, I'll keep you posted on what happens. Plus, 250 lbs. for just over $30.00 :D


Damn buddy....those are great prices :) Much better than my area! I thought I was getting a bargain. LOL


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