[ozarkshunter]

Where I do some of my hunting the soil is sandy. It does not seem to hold salt or minerals very well. Or the deer just do not use them. Does any one else have this problem? Is there any thing I can do to improve a mineral licks holding abillity?

 

[souwest_ghillie]

I'm not sure if I understand. Do you make mineral pits with bags of coarse salt? I use the 12" sq. mineral blocks, they seem to work better than just pouring salt onto soil. The deer become accustomed to the blocks fairly quickly and the bears can't easily carry them off.

 

[ozarkshunter]

I have used rock salt,deer cane, deer cane black magic,and that stuff the north american whitetail institute sells. Just not very impressed.

 

[stl81969]

sandy soil leeches minerals very quickly i drill 3/4 in. holes in stumps then fill w/ powdered minerals then cover w/ liquid. or use blocks

 

[deerhunter3241]

Place them on top of old stumps...The salt will seap into the stump and soften it considerably...Once the lick is all dissolved the deer will actually eat the mushy stump...

 

[Stealthman]

Creating a "LICK" is fun and its a great place to put your trail cam!:wink:

 

[Finn]

mineral recipe

Here's what we use and the deer have hammered it for the past 3 years.

50 pounds: 18.5 Dicalcium Phosphate
50 pounds: 18/18 Hy-phos
50 pounds: Dried Molasses
150 pounds: Trace Mineral Salt

All bags are 50 lbs and I get it from Fleet Farm in Wisconsin for around $50 for the 300 pounds. Feed stores should have this.

We mix it in 5 gallon pails, even amounts and then store in a covered 55 gallon barrel. We put out 5 gallons at a time every 3-4 months in several different places. Pouring it right on an old stump seems to work the best.

 

[DannyB]

Craig, Can I do this in smaller proportions just reducing the quanities? And do you think it may be too late for this year? Heading up to Prentice today.

 

[KurtVL]

i use the Trophy Rock with great success

 

[perchjerker]

Danny that mixture is recommended because

the ingredients are sold at farm supply or co-ops in 50 lb bags.As others have recommended you can place a mineral block on a stump and pour molassis over it.Just sitting a block out on the ground is not as good as burying it to ground level.Deer need the dirt in their digestive tract too.
Finn I have tried to find the HI Phos in Al and Ga and thus far have been unable to.Licks made in RED CLAY get far more attention than anythging else
I've found.

 

[Jeff in SC]

It depends alot on where you live also! I live very near the coast and there is alot of salt around from the marsh creeks where I hunt! So, the deer seem to not even care if I have made a "salt lick" or not!

 

[BowsandBait]

I have had great sucess with the deer Co Cain liquid form. Set up a spot for use with my trail camera. Purchased it on a whim, all I can say is wow. Have several great pictures. Multiple bucks in them at one time using the site.

 

[Cornfed]

i use the Trophy Rock with great success

I've read many great things on other forums about the Trophy Rock. I've also seen some awesome trail cam pix of monster bucks standing over the Trophy Rock. I would think it would be worth a try.

 

[RangerAngler]

If your really concerned with leaching, buy a couple yards of clay soil from someone in the area. Contact a local excavator they will be able to help you out. Use the clay as a liner for you mineral set up. Make it a bowl shape and it will also hold water from rainfalls, which will create an added attractant for the deer. The water will really make the deer cane products take off as well. Areas I like to put out minerals is the root base of an uprooted tree. Deer naturally eat the roots for minerals as well.

 

[steadyeddie]

Plastic

I have dug hole and placed plastic in it, and then put soil in it, and then the minerals and it worked fine. Steady

 

[perchjerker]

A warning about the Trophy rock.I bought one and placed it in an established lick.It was bowled out,and when it rained it held water.The Rock dissolved in a couple of days.