Example of a Mineral Site Set-up...

[Tight Lines]

That's certainly fine. However, if the goal is have minerals as an attractant, then plain pool salt is all that's needed. I look at minerals as one more piece of the puzzle, and while deer can find most of what they need in their browse, body growth and antler size can be optimized. In the same way that humans can live pretty well on burgers and junk food, it certainly doesn't help with lifespan or the shape of our body.

Completely fair, it's fun to try and figure out what works best, and I think that the scents and minerals in the additives are helpful over pure salt...I do mix in the different things to try and improve the quality of what I'm putting out vs. just an attractant, and I'm also realistic about what I can expect from it.

The three things that create trophies in my opinion are (1) genetics, (2) selective harvest i.e. let them grow and (3) access to high quality food. My mineral supplements and even the food plots and corn won't materially change the herd...it might concentrate them, and I can pattern them, though I don't expect it to miraculously increase bone growth by 25%...

 

[NCHillbilly]

Any and all of those will work.

Pool salt will work.

Salted road run off pulls them to highways all the time.

To me, it is the LOCATION that makes the lick work.

I use the same things in each location, yet some are successful and some not.

Damp SEEMS to be one of the keys for success.

Red clay is the key, IMO.

 

[Tight Lines]

Red clay is the key, IMO.

So this is interesting...when I rake back leaves and there is good black dirt underneath, and soft, vs. some hard red clay I tend to see more action where the red clay is...on my last least I assumed it was because of the proximity to a trail, though the minerals near the food plots and feeders didn't get as much action...what about the red clay do you think is material?

 

[NCHillbilly]

So this is interesting...when I rake back leaves and there is good black dirt underneath, and soft, vs. some hard red clay I tend to see more action where the red clay is...on my last least I assumed it was because of the proximity to a trail, though the minerals near the food plots and feeders didn't get as much action...what about the red clay do you think is material?

I think it holds the minerals better, I'm not sure. Probably cation exchange capacity. But I've noticed over the years that when you make a lick in red clay, it usually gets torn up, but in regular soil, they usually quit hitting it soon if they ever do. A friend of mine pointed this out to me years ago, and from what I've seen, he was exactly right.

 

[Tight Lines]

I think it holds the minerals better, I'm not sure. Probably cation exchange capacity. But I've noticed over the years that when you make a lick in red clay, it usually gets torn up, but in regular soil, they usually quit hitting it soon if they ever do. A friend of mine pointed this out to me years ago, and from what I've seen, he was exactly right.

Interesting. I've found something similar...I wonder if the red clay keeps the minerals on top and/or in a pool once dug down vs. the softer black dirt letting the minerals leach more? Now that you mention it, I've never actually paid attention to this, but I think you may be on to something...

 

[NCHillbilly]

Interesting. I've found something similar...I wonder if the red clay keeps the minerals on top and/or in a pool once dug down vs. the softer black dirt letting the minerals leach more? Now that you mention it, I've never actually paid attention to this, but I think you may be on to something...

I think that's it.

 

[XIronheadX]

Some bury a grout tub in the ground and fill it back in with dirt. Minerals on top.

 

[Tight Lines]

Huh. I never heard of that...

 

[furtaker]

I like to put licks in red clay too if possible but I've also seen them torn up in fairly dark or sandy soil.

One place I hunt, the deer will not consistently come to a lick no matter where I put it. I'll get a few pictures but they won't tear it up like they do on other properties. Not sure why.

 

[Tight Lines]

This is why I love hunting and this site, always learning something new!

 

[nmurph]

I wonder if the preference for red clay has to do with the iron content?

You have to dig 3ft deep.around here to hit clay, and that is usually yellow clay.

 

[Jim Boyd]

I wonder if it is not soil composition rather than color.

Where I am in SC we have very little red clay (a few slippery when wet red clay hills) and we have some very successful sites.

I still feel that damp is key and let’s face it, the pure sand areas dry out quickly - which starts to lead back to soil composition.

With more of a clay base, the water pools and holds in the area better. Also it does not leach as quickly.

We should consider this when we create the licks in the first place!!!!!

 

[elfiii]

This is how I do mine.

https://forum.gon.com/threads/how-to-do-a-mineral-lick.728558/

 

[Tight Lines]

They are killing the minerals right now...

5 does...



3 bucks...

 

[lungbuster123]

Once you get them established the deer will frequent them every year. I used to just go refresh them once in the spring and if it holds water mother nature will take car of the rest

 

[Addicted to Antlers]

Red clay! Planning to make a few mineral sites using antler addict.

https://4swildlife.com/pages/antler-addict-deer-mineral

Here are some videos on how to make a mineral site.

https://4swildlife.com/blogs/news/deer-mineral-101

 

[Tight Lines]

Red clay! Planning to make a few mineral sites using antler addict.

https://4swildlife.com/pages/antler-addict-deer-mineral

Here are some videos on how to make a mineral site.

https://4swildlife.com/blogs/news/deer-mineral-101

I guess you are affiliated with them?

 

[Addicted to Antlers]

No. I work in IT. Just looks like a good local company from doing research. Trying them out for the first time this year.

 

[fireman32]

I’ve had two sites on my small place. Trophy rock with mineral and salt block on both sites. One was on red clay, the other on black dirt in a wet lowland. Both were visited regularly, mainly by does. Only problem I had with the red clay spot was it held water forever in the hole they dug using it.

 

[Son]

I've used polyfos, calcium, trace minerals with plain salt. Very dusty when mixing, but that makes a great lick and they will use it. On an old lease, had a lick that got so big you could almost bury a truck in it.