Thanks for the post!

 

Good post. Thanks for sharing.

 

No problem...Just hate seeing people throw away money when they dont have too! Dont get me wrong, there isnt anything wrong with trophy rocks, or old fashion salt blocks/mineral block either... just get more bang for your buck this way in my opinion!

 

No problem..Just hate seeing people throw away money when they dont have too! Dont get me wrong, there isnt anything wrong with trophy rocks, or old fashion salt blocks/mineral block either... just get more bang for your buck this way in my opinion!

It seems spending $$$ on anything more than just salt is throwing your money away. Here's a very good thread that covered this topic well...

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=1180188

 

Been using this mix for years. Works awesome and makes a good amount.

 

Where can we buy these products? What kind of store?Thanks

 

Tractor Supply, Feed Stores.

 

I was quoted the cheapest prices for everything at MFA, which is where I got all mine.

 

I just called 5 local feed stores prices ranged from


1 Salt. $9, 6, 6, 3.50, 4

2 Dical. $20.25, 22, 20...... 2 places didn't carry it

3 TMS. $8, 9, 7.65, 7.05, 5.75

 

ok so what you want is a lick for deer to gain antler growth, health benefits..and a good place to mount a trail cam to see what you got right?

Deer need calcium and phosphorus for antler growth the most. while other minerals are good for them these two are important to help grow antlers!

Thanks for the post, although many university studies have shown no benefit in antler growth between supplemented and non-supplemented deer. Deer naturally get enough calcium and phosphorus from their normal diets (besides most of the calcium used during antler growth comes from their skeleton).

It is believed that deer seek the salt licks strictly for the salt content. Eating green foliage all summer (which are high in potassium) throws off their internal soduim/potassium balance, making them crave salt..it just so happens that this time period coincides with the antler growth period..

Here is an article by QDMA.'s leading biologist Brian Murphy, If anyone would write an article that supported using mineral supplements it would be him since his employer (QDMA) generates alot of advertising $$$$
from companies that produce mineral supplements on their TV show and their Magazine.
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" """""""A classic study on the mineral needs of deer was conducted at Penn State University in the 1950s. In this study, researchers did detect a difference in yearling buck antler development between supplemented and unsupplemented groups. However, these herds were fed a nutritionally deficient diet below what most whitetails would have access to in the wild. Furthermore, when the same deer were examined the following year as 2.5 year olds, no differences were detected between the two groups.

In a similar study conducted at Auburn University, researchers tried to detect differences in body and antler size between an unsupplemented and supplemented group. This study differed from the Penn State study in that both herds were fed a nutritionally complete diet. In addition, one group was provided a commercial mineral supplement. Over a four year period the researchers were unable to detect any differences between the two deer herds.

Without question deer need minerals, and they will readily use mineral licks. But why do they use these licks and why is their use restricted primarily to the spring and summer? Many hunters believe that it is simply because bucks need the minerals for antler growth and does for raising fawns during these months. However, several studies have shown that while deer readily use mineral licks high in salt, they rarely, if ever, use pure mineral supplements. If deer were lacking minerals, why wouldn't they use the pure mineral supplement even if salt wasn't present? No one can say for sure, but it's probably because most minerals by themselves are bitter.
Could the use of salt/mineral mixes simply be due to an increased need for salt? According to research, yes. During the spring and summer, deer operate at a sodium deficiency due to the high potassium and water content of the forage. This interferes with efficient sodium conversion in the body and increases the need for sodium. This makes deer actively seek out concentrated sources of sodium such as natural or man?made licks. Almost all soils more than 25/50 miles from a seacoast are low in sodium. Therefore, in these areas, salt may be just as necessary as calcium and phosphorus to whitetails during the spring and summer."""""""""""""""""""""'" """""""""""""""""""



Here is what CJ. Winand said in an article on this subject, who by the way is not only a well respected biologist but the editor of Bowhunter mag.
"""""""""""""""""""""""""" Over the last several decades, biologists at Universities across the country have researched the effects mineral supplementation has on a bucks' rack. In most cases, they put deer in two pens. In one pen, the deer were feed their regular diet. In the other, the deer ate a mineral in addition to their regular diet. After a few years in most studies, researchers did not see a noticeable difference. Many biologists bring up the research every time a hunter brings up minerals. C.J. Winand, a biologist from Maryland, believes that minerals are hocus pocus. "All of the data available today says that mineral supplementation doesn't have a lasting impact on antler size. Research is being done regularly and until I see a study that shows that minerals help deer grow larger racks, I will continue to believe what I believe," Winand explained."""""""""""""""""""" """""""""""""""""""" "

But either way, it still backs up the whole point of your first post..trophy rocks are a way overpriced chunk of salt..

 

Yup...if you have to have a trophy rock...buy some salt, and trace minerals leave out the dical and there you go....

 

Ive been going with just salt for a while with pretty good results. I have found that some of the cheapest salt (and purest) is just plain old water softener salt.. Just make sure it isnt the rust remover stuff..

 

ok so here is a video, that is from Good eats on salt. It shows the mines where they get trophy rocks.

watch it but skip to 5:50 and watch untill 9 min or so. you will see Alto brown holding a TR...lol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0f62XQPBlTE&feature=related

 

Last year I found a spot while I was scouting where someone had put a pile of salt in the woods, baiting is illegal in Idaho, but it looked like nothing had hit it at all. I know there's deer in there and deer in the area. There's some good trails nearby as well. Is there any type of salt deer wont hit, or is there a reason they wouldn't be munching on this salt? I was pretty happy to see it wasn't working and I hunted somewhere else, there's plenty of other spots for me to hunt back there.

 

A few years back, we did a combo elk and Mule deer hunt in the Bitterroot Mountains of Idaho. We were pretty far back and crossed the divide from Montana to get there just down from Hamilton.
When we set up camp, one of the guides told us to take a leak in the same area, beside a big cedar tree just outside camp. We all did this and even got it up on the trunk a few feet. After ONE DAY, there were deer in our camp, during the day and at night, licking the base of the tree and the side of the tree. They were even licking some of the bark off the tree. I will see if I can find the pics.
I can only imagine that it was a mineral or salt deficiency. We never saw any nice bucks but many doe and a few small bucks were there every day we were there.

 

I just called 2 local feed stores prices ranged from:

1 Salt 80# $10.03 & 8.90
2 Dical 50# $22.40 & 17.35
3 TMS 80#-14.70 & 50#-10.50

thanks will be picking up some to make this weekend.

2 questions:
1.) Will these minerals last a few years (in the bag kept inside)?
2.) How long till the deer find my sites?

 

Not real sure of the shelf life.

It took about a month after I put out the initial site to start seeing deer sign.

 

We use the same minerals (salt, di-cal, tms) but we also add apple buck jam to it to create a faster attractant. Deer usually are attacking a new site in less than a week. Add the buck jam to it just before pouring it on the ground.

 

Been using that recipe for the last few years, works wonders!

 

I just ordered the stuff from a local feed store. I tried TSC first but they never heard of DiCal and looked at me funny when I asked about it. Guess thats what i get for going to a big chain first instead of the reliable little guy. Feed store didn't have teh DiCal in stock but it'll be here in a week. I'm intersted in seeing how it works. Thanks for the info!

 

Nice post and good info. Thanks

 

Thanks for the info, I'm gonna give this a try.

 

I use the same recipe except I also add 1 part dried molasses

 

In some states(like Missouri) adding in molasses is considered baiting. which is prohibited to hunt around. I put my mineral lick about 70 yards from where I intend on hunting. Had I added molasses and hunted that spot Id get fined for baiting.

 

I use the same recipe except I also add 1 part dried molasses X2

 

I do toom and a half part calcium carbonate... Great mix.

 

I know it is late...I just ran across this....Excited to give it a try! Thanks for posting this up!

 

great info! thanks

 

You are SSSOOOO wrong about Trophy Rock. Education on a product before you bash it is essential... and advised. By the way you said Trophy Rock is table salt with too many minerals in it for human consumption...WRONG again it is the #1 selling health food sea salt in the world. Realsalt. Not trying to pick an arguement but Trophy Rock is a lot more than it seems to be on the surface. Everyone has their opinion and theory. I think we all should. But you don't have to bash other products to be understood. It discredits you in the industry and in the eyes of many hunters and managers. Go to growingdeer.tv and search for Trophy Rock or look at episode 11 that was just released. The webite is very information packed as well as operated by one of the best Whitetail biologists in the industry. All salt is not created equal... Most salts are reconized by the body as a toxin causing adverse effects such as hypertension, water retention, etc. Some salts are not..... You may want to read more about Trophy Rock.

 

Mined in Utah?

:izza:

You are SSSOOOO wrong about Trophy Rock. Education on a product before you bash it is essential... and advised. By the way you said Trophy Rock is table salt with too many minerals in it for human consumption...WRONG again it is the #1 selling health food sea salt in the world. Realsalt. Not trying to pick an arguement but Trophy Rock is a lot more than it seems to be on the surface. Everyone has their opinion and theory. I think we all should. But you don't have to bash other products to be understood. It discredits you in the industry and in the eyes of many hunters and managers. Go to growingdeer.tv and search for Trophy Rock or look at episode 11 that was just released. The webite is very information packed as well as operated by one of the best Whitetail biologists in the industry. All salt is not created equal... Most salts are reconized by the body as a toxin causing adverse effects such as hypertension, water retention, etc. Some salts are not..... You may want to read more about Trophy Rock.

 

really? you might try and watch this video. go ahead and skip to around 7:20 or so.:wink:

Sure looks like a trophy rock to me. On top of that, I have read on the web "trophy rock" is mined right in Utah. prove me wrong. Besides I never "bashed" trophy rock. they work. plain and simple. but why pay almost a 500% increase for a name...?

 

Oh and pay particular attention at around 8:40 or so...haha