So, today let’s talk timing and location for our mineral licks. This will be pretty straight forward.
The timing is now on through the end of Sept. Right now is when the deer are both trying to recover from the rut (remember, Mr. Big commonly drops 25-30% body weight during the rut. If a northern or Midwestern deer, they’re also now experiencing their seasonal low point for food and worst weather conditions. Mr. Big is just trying to survive, while most does are actively developing their fetuses. Then, spring on through August, does are lactating, the young are growing and Mr. Big is trying to kick inches of antler each day.
The simple reason that deer hammer the minerals right now on through about the beginning of August is simply because that’s when they need it most. Want to do the most good? If yes, then have minerals available in surplus over that period.
Remember, just like it doesn’t matter how good something is for them, if it merely passes through their system and plops out the other side, it also doesn’t matter if they don’t eat it or eat enough. At the same time, I driving the deer off the ground also doesn’t help at all.
Frankly, those staging plots we were talking about a couple weeks back are perfect, assuming the deer are still feeding on that food source. Most all of my mineral lick are next to the water holes and/or food sources that the deer are using, in areas I can get to and out of without exploding the place.
I’ve seen numbers on how many licks one should have per ___ acres, but I don’t take them serious at all. If one owns 40 acres of deer cover in ditches that span the 400 acre property, while having stupid high deer numbers, you’ll need a lot more licks that a square, wooded 40, sporting 5 deer per square mile.
As far as density of licks is concerned, I let the deer or my clients’ wallets decide how many to create. if the budget is whatever is required, I’ll put out as many licks as the deer will consume in about 1 month’s time.
As always, take whatever you see of value and merely pitch the rest, my friends. Also, please don’t take any of these posts as “you HAVE to do this type of stuff, where legal.” No, this is merely for those that want to, where legal.
