Questions about mineral sites

[bruiserbucksoutdoors]

We have never tried using mineral sites. Recommendations on products to use? Also how long does a mineral site last? I have plenty of crops around in the spots that I hunt so I wanted to start off the season with something like a mineral site and maybe some attractants or deer scents. I am looking for a quick and effective way to set up the mineral site. Any info or pointers on the mineral site information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[JHbowhunter]

The best time to establish a mineral site is after the last snow. I target March through early April.   This gives the does the valuable nutrition they need for birthing, and the bucks that extra boost for antler growth.  Peak antler growth is nearly winding down so you are a little late to the game. 

 

Most good minerals use far less salt then those used as attractants. 

 

Given the calendar, I am not sure I would try to establish an in-ground powder-based mineral site.  I would just put out some Trophy Rocks (high in salt - some mineral content) and or the Big & J blocks...  

 

If you wanted to provide a little more mineral content / Nutrition, but still have a fairly high attractant factor - for $19 at Cabela's you can't go wrong with Lucky Buck. That is what I been using.

 

BMelvin, on this site - has put a lot of time and research into this and can better advise you than I, although I do have decent success over the past several years at getting bucks to hit my site.

 

I find that no matter how popular my mineral sites are with the bucks through end of July - by about mid-August, they start losing interest and by the early bow opener, not really a factor as food is a much better draw.

 

To me - they are great for taking trail cam inventory while providing nutritional value, they are of little value during the very long NJ hunting season. 

There are many food-based blocks, but where I hunt it's a waste of money because the bears destroy them in short order.

Edited July 13, 2017 by JHbowhunter

[Lunatic]

We have never tried using mineral sites. Recommendations on products to use? Also how long does a mineral site last? I have plenty of crops around in the spots that I hunt so I wanted to start off the season with something like a mineral site and maybe some attractants or deer scents. I am looking for a quick and effective way to set up the mineral site. Any info or pointers on the mineral site information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

 

By the time the season starts there is very little interest in minerals. Bucks need them and crave them when growing antlers and does when they are lactating

[Bmelvin]

Ok bruiser here we go.

 

As stated above this time of year the mineral site activity is going to start deminishing so if you are strictly looking to get pictures or use as an attractant there is way better options.

 

I get asked all the time when is the best time to start minerals for a herd. And the best answer is don't ever stop. Now the reason I say that is because deer store mineral content for various uses through out their body from antlers, skeletal density, digestion, lactation and so on. In the beginning of the rut those mineral reserves will begin to hit an all time low as the deer are rutting and of course as the weather begins to turn and increases their stress levels. This is where the big difference comes into play for when to run minerals. If you can keep those mineral levels from trully dropping (assuming there is also a regular decent food source such as the crops you mentioned) you allow that deer to come out of the rough winter months ready to grow. So instead of spending feb, march and April replenishing their mineral levels they can go right to putting on weight and pushing nutrients for bone growth. This same theory really comes into play with fawns and their development. If you can assist a buck fawn coast through the winter with supplemental feed and proper minerals it will blow your mind to see what they can be at 1.5 yrs old. But supplemental feeding is a whole other topic to discuss.

 

Now to the general make up of products. Most mineral mixes out there are basically table salt if some very low levels of low grade trace minerals. There is a huge difference is the quality levels of certain types of trace minerals and most will not spend the money to put them in their products due to the obvious reduction in profit. But the major differences are how the deer can absorb them and use the majority of what they ingest. Of course like anything else you get what you pay for and if a guy wants to dump a 50lb bag of trace salt out and put a cam over it he will get pics for sure but he isn't doing anything for the deer.

 

For next years growing season I will have my mineral mix released to everyone but many guys here and on NJH have bought it. I will have a few flavors to pick from to help those guys that are looking to use it more as an attractant.

 

And here is a little tip for anyone using a ground mineral site or ground bait site. Try and clean the dirt up a little with pulverized lime a week or two before you start dropping bait there. The lime will kill a lot of the parasites in the dirt and gives the deer a little help. I take it a step further and I try and deworm my areas once or twice a year with my feeders. Using safeguard dewormer it's cheap and really easy and you will see a noticeable difference in body mass after the treatment. If a deer looses 5-10% of its nutrition to parasites it can be very noticeable and obviously adds stress to the animal.

 

Hope this irons a few things out for you and if you have any questions you can drop me a line anytime 973 432 9744 - Brian

Edited July 13, 2017 by Bmelvin

[strikerII]

Easiest mineral to use is the 50# block of trace minerals from tractor supply, southern states or any feed grain/co-op. They cost about $6 and work best early spring/ summer. They'll dig a big hole out where the block used to sit. I set mine by waterholes in the timber.

[Rusty]

Easiest mineral to use is the 50# block of trace minerals from tractor supply, southern states or any feed grain/co-op. They cost about $6 and work best early spring/ summer. They'll dig a big hole out where the block used to sit. I set mine by waterholes in the timber.

 

If you're lazy like me this is the way to go.  Each spring I get a 50 lb white salt block and a 50 lb trace mineral block and put them right next to last year's blocks, they last the whole year.  I've been doing this in the same spot for many years and the area is torn up good.  

[bruiserbucksoutdoors]

Thank you everyone. I have some good ideas of what I plan to set up this weekend now

[JHbowhunter]

Bmelvin delivered the goods!   Never thought about the pre-lime, and dewormer... thats next level thinking right there...

Edited July 14, 2017 by JHbowhunter

[Bmelvin]

Thanks Jack. Always here to help