Mineral Licks

[Robert Rowland]

Here in the midwest we have some of the most fertile soil on the face of the planet. We still use the licks, but if it helps with deer growth it is just an added benifit. Around here most people who use the licks, use them so that they have a good place for deer to pose for the camera.

[GTOHunter]

We have been using minerals here in Missouri for many years and have never had any problems with CWD,the minerals help the deer in many ways and with more Land Owners planting Food Plots to help with more natural minerals and vitamins the Deer herds are getting heathier every year.We checked our 2 mineral licks at our Hunting Lease and the deer have been using them a lot and have 1 of them dug down deep into the ground,we refreshed them and went on with our food plot planting.

[ranwin33]

We run four mineral licks on our property.  This year three are getting hit hard, last year only one.  I don't know if they help produce bigger antlers or not, but I do know that since we started putting them out the deer we have visiting them have bigger antlers.  But that may also be due to antler restrictions being in place the past few years. 
 
I figure so long as the deer use them I'll continue to put them out.  What benefits the provide for the deer, well only the deer can answer that I guess.

[JOEL]

they are also considered bait in NY state so thats out as well

[ranwin33]

Could you use them in New York and not hunt over them? 
 
Or no mineral licks at all?

[JOEL]

cant use em as we are not allowed to feed deer either.i wrote the DEC and asked awhile back.

[PrairieShadow]

I have tried everything on the market to try and get deer to hit mineral sites. They just dont have any interest in them what so ever.
 
Any suggestions to get them to use the sites i provide for them? The only thing that they seem to like are apples.

[ranwin33]

ORIGINAL: PrairieShadow

I have tried everything on the market to try and get deer to hit mineral sites. They just dont have any interest in them what so ever.

Any suggestions to get them to use the sites i provide for them? The only thing that they seem to like are apples.

No suggestions - they just seem to hit them when they decide to do it.  When we bought our property in 2002 I put a salt block out.  It sat around in the weather for proably close to a year, nothing at all interested in it.  I eventually broke it apart with a sledge hammer, but left it in place.  Deer started digging around the area four years later so that's when I started adding minerals to the site.  Why they decided to pay attention to it at that time, only the deer know.  I have no doubt that at sometime in the future they will decide to abandon it. 

They've added two more of our mineral sites to their rounds this year - I don't know if the very wet spring and summer have anything to do with that or not.  But we started these sites 3 years ago, and until this spring/summer, no interest at all.

[FFKEVIN]

ORIGINAL: PrairieShadow

I have tried everything on the market to try and get deer to hit mineral sites. They just dont have any interest in them what so ever.

Any suggestions to get them to use the sites i provide for them? The only thing that they seem to like are apples.

I think the important things we did is make sure that the licks were along known deer travel routes and close to a water source.  That way they find them easier and they can drink after licking all the salt.
 
Also, make sure you put them out early in the spring, since spring and summer are when they will get used the most.
 
Another thing we did, is after we mixed our mineral mixture into the dirt, we sprinkled granulated molasses over the top of the site.  That helps attract them in as well.  (After the site is established, you don't need the molasses any more.)
 
Last, I would suggest you put out 3-5 different licks and see which one or two they are using a lot.  Then just freshen up those ones.
 
I hope this helps.
 
Kevin

[EatDeer]

ORIGINAL: PrairieShadow

I have tried everything on the market to try and get deer to hit mineral sites. They just dont have any interest in them what so ever.

Any suggestions to get them to use the sites i provide for them? The only thing that they seem to like are apples.

I know in FL, deer just don't need the salt, and deer really arent attracted to minerals alone. Some other areas also have natural salt rock mineral deposits, so maybe that could be your problem. If you have bears, they might be keeping the deer away form your site as well. Well placed trail cams might shed some light on if you have a predator problem.