Mineral Sites

[Indianahunter]

Wanted to hear your reactions to mineral sites. My opinion is not favorable to them except for a small area (like 2ft circumference) at a field edge that you are using a trail cam to take an inventory. I read a report last year by the PA DNR that was discouraging the use of mineral sites and their reasoning made a lot of sense to me. People were putting out the large mineral sites to attract deer to and during the winter months these already stressed and weak deer were traveling great distances as there were not a lot of food sources available to them. There simply isn't enough nutritional value to sustain a healthy herd, so they were basically eating salt flavored dirt, and while this does have some nutritional value, it is not enough of the right things for a completely healthy animal. I certainly can't speak for everyone, but I feel it is a personal responsibility if I put anything out that is a sufficient and nutritional food source designed primarily around the health of the local herd I am hunting.

[dan]

Like most things in hunting minerals are only a small pc of the puzzle. You need to combine them with food plots or natural food in order for them to work properly.
Some minerals are basically just "salt" and that really is not good for any animal.
You need to use enough salt to attract them, but its the antler growing nutrition you want them receiving...

[ramblinman]

What Minerial (nutrition) works the best for antler growth?
I see there is alot of product out there. Has anyone seen or had any succcess using a certain product?

[dan]

Andrea put together a great mineral product. He consulted with nutrtionalists and some of the people behind growing the world records on game farms... He is trying to grow bucks to there full potential on un-fenced private land....
We sell it right here on the Beast if your interested... and I think I will have some in Madison at the deer show. ( $25 a bag )

Lone Wolf Custom Gear Antler Grow Mineral

Lone Wolf Custom Gear Antler Grow Mineral
Lone Wolf Custom Gear Antler Grow contains numerous vitamins and minerals to support healthy body and antler growth. Just pour the mineral on the ground near a deer trail for consumption. Pour more as needed. Available in 25lb bags.

[matt1336]

Antler King makes a good one too.

[MOBIGBUCKS]

I make my own blend and it makes 250 pounds. The deer absolutely dig trenches to get into it and $60 bucks makes the 250 pounds. It has enough minerals in the mix to make it good for the deer (not all salt). If anyone is interested, PM me and i will look up my recipe for you.

[Treejunkie]

Andrea put together a great mineral product. He consulted with nutrtionalists and some of the people behind growing the world records on game farms... He is trying to grow bucks to there full potential on un-fenced private land....
We sell it right here on the Beast if your interested... and I think I will have some in Madison at the deer show. ( $25 a bag )

Lone Wolf Custom Gear Antler Grow Mineral

Lone Wolf Custom Gear Antler Grow Mineral
Lone Wolf Custom Gear Antler Grow contains numerous vitamins and minerals to support healthy body and antler growth. Just pour the mineral on the ground near a deer trail for consumption. Pour more as needed. Available in 25lb bags.

Dan, how much to ship that stuff? I didnt know he was into that stuff. Antler King to me is way over priced. Fleet Farm sells a #20 or #25 bag for about $17. Apple flavored and it works great attracting them. I think the Antler King is about a 5# bag for about $20.

[Black Squirrel]

I use a recipe put out by the MO game department (I think that's where I got it from) Its 2 parts stock salt, and 1 part Dicalcium Phosphate. I have modified it to use 1 part stock salt, 1 part trace mineral salt, and 1.5 part dicalcium phosphate. Any more dical phos, and the deer won't eat it. I will also add a bag of "Black Magic" for added flavor. You can get all this from fleet farm, or any cattle feed store. I buy a 50# bag of each of the first 3, and a 7# bag of the Black Magic. Total cost about $50 bucks a batch. The deer seem to really nail this stuff from mid spring through summer, but then taper their use off as summer fades to fall. I get some great inventory pics over this stuff in late July and early Aug.

[dan]

Treejunk, I called Andrea and left a message asking the shipping cost... If your coming to Madison for the deer classic, I should have some on hand and you could save the shipping. Andreas ingredients are pretty close to antler Kings but he changed a few things up after consulting with some of the fenced game operations mineral plans that are growing the 200 inch 2 1/2 year old bucks. He is basically trying to repeat what they do behind fence out in the free ranging herd.

[BackWoodsHunter]

MOBIGBUCKS you should post your recipe here in the forum somewhere it'd be a great a do it yourself tutorial for the site

[dan]

MOBIGBUCKS you should post your recipe here in the forum somewhere it'd be a great a do it yourself tutorial for the site

Yup... I agree
Most feed mills can put something together for you too.

[MOBIGBUCKS]

I will do it this evening for you guys

[BackWoodsHunter]

you da man

[dan]

Andrea put together a great mineral product. He consulted with nutrtionalists and some of the people behind growing the world records on game farms... He is trying to grow bucks to there full potential on un-fenced private land....
We sell it right here on the Beast if your interested... and I think I will have some in Madison at the deer show. ( $25 a bag )

Lone Wolf Custom Gear Antler Grow Mineral

Lone Wolf Custom Gear Antler Grow Mineral
Lone Wolf Custom Gear Antler Grow contains numerous vitamins and minerals to support healthy body and antler growth. Just pour the mineral on the ground near a deer trail for consumption. Pour more as needed. Available in 25lb bags.

Dan, how much to ship that stuff? I didnt know he was into that stuff. Antler King to me is way over priced. Fleet Farm sells a #20 or #25 bag for about $17. Apple flavored and it works great attracting them. I think the Antler King is about a 5# bag for about $20.

About $12 a bag... Probably better off picking it up when your in town. Now I am not sure if I will have it at the classic, cause I went to Andreas Wisconsin house to pick it up and figured out he meant his Iowa place If I get down there, or if he heads back up this way I will get some.

[Treejunkie]

Dont think I will be at the Madison show. We are swamped at work.