Mineral blocks-who does them?

[Swamp_Yankee]

Who does salt licks, mineral blocks, or DIY mixes like this one:

http://hunting.outdoorzy.com/how-to-create-a-mineral-lick-for-deer/

For those that do, does it attract raccoons and tree rats the way corn does?  I'm getting tired of feeding the local coon den...  My pipe feeder has helped some, but I still have tons of trail cam pictures of raccoons eating out of the feeder like it's a bag of movie popcorn.  The only problem I foresee with doing a DIY mix (basically dumping a bunch of minerals in a hole) is that I hunt in the middle of a swamp.  

[Bucksnbows]

I’ve been doing mineral sites for decades. I mix my own to save huge money. Squirrels leave it alone. Other animals will visit any mineral site, but it seems more because they smell deer using the area. Swamps and other wet areas are tough to make a mineral site unless you find some higher ground.


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[Bad64chevelle]

I’ve used a few different ones , next year im doing my own mix and give that a shot . I found trophy rock to really be the one that attracts deer to them (most of the time) 

on my property at home in z17 I’ve got two spots that I’ve put trophy rocks in for a few years running . There are craters left at the end of the season and they continue digging it up after the season ends both are in semi wet areas , they will pool water . However , not even two miles away on another property i hunt , the deer could care less about them . Almost identical setup, I keep putting the rocks out there but the deer don’t even bother with them . 

[Silver Belly62]

As already stated above, make your own and save yourself some money

[Bucksnbows]

I’ve used a few different ones , next year im doing my own mix and give that a shot . I found trophy rock to really be the one that attracts deer to them (most of the time) 
on my property at home in z17 I’ve got two spots that I’ve put trophy rocks in for a few years running . There are craters left at the end of the season and they continue digging it up after the season ends both are in semi wet areas , they will pool water . However , not even two miles away on another property i hunt , the deer could care less about them . Almost identical setup, I keep putting the rocks out there but the deer don’t even bother with them . 

Very typical of mineral sites. Same thing on my property that I manage. But when you find a site that the deer are visiting regularly, it will usually remain a good site forever more. But it is not uncommon to set out mineral sites and never have them become active. I wish I could unlock the secret as to why that is, but I never have.


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[Costam07]

Had anyone tried Lucky Buck heard missed reviews

[CatchinDeers243]

I’ve also had excellent luck with trophy rocks

[DDS]

A few years back I tried minerals at multiple properties I hunt.  I used rocks and also DIY mix. I never had luck. I put it out with my bait (when I used to bait with feeders) near heavily traveled deer areas. As soon as the bait ran out they stopped coming, the travels trail was normally no more then 10’ from my minerals but they wouldn’t divert for it. So I stopped doing it. A friend of mine on a property right near me puts out minerals every year and has deer eat a stump he put it around this year. So like said above, try it, see if it works and if it doesn’t move on. 

[DDS]

DIY is the way to go if you do it for cost effective. However I had issues finding Di-calcium phosphate and when I did find it, it was $30-40 per bag and a hour away. 

[Ringtail]

I found that mineral sites work best near a water source. I hunt four properties and put out many mineral sites each spring. All of them get used heavily. I put them a little ways off an active creek crossing and they are fire all summer. Thousands of trail cam pics a week. I don’t buy into the whole trophy rock thing. I think you’re wasting your money on a 12lb block for 20 some odd dollars. I dig a hole a few inches deep to allow water to pool in when it rains. That way the minerals won’t leach out, it all stays in the site and soaks into the ground. I get 50lb trace mineral blocks from tractor supply and bags of the loose minerals. Each site gets a block and half a bag of loose minerals to start it off. Costs less than $10 each site. I check back every month and add another half bag or so to the sites to keep them going. I start mine up right after the season ends in Feb/March and keep them going till the leaves drop. I don’t hunt over my sites typically other than very early in the season on occasion. Really I put them out to aid nutrition and for the fact that I like to put cams over them and watch my deer grow throughout the summer.  It’s very rewarding.