Mineral licks / deer survey

Jim Boyd

Senior Member
The deer are really pounding the minerals right now.

Love being able to watch the bucks as they grow from no antlers to the formation of new - and to watch the does and fawns as new life comes into the world.

Awesome to see the transformation in nature.

I freshened up one of our licks yesterday, this one has gotten big over the years. Been there 8-9 years now.

Good luck all!

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coolbreezeroho

Senior Member
Put out fresh Trophy rocks and fresh batteries in the cams back the last day in march. Then this lock down and I haven't been back to check anything. Don't know how the Georgia police would react to a NC plate out in Wilkes and Lincoln counties . I do need to get down and see how much damage that big storm did to my trailer down there...
 

rosewood

Senior Member
Yes they are. I have a stand against a tree I built to hold the mineral block. It is empty but the deer are licking the wood and ground all around it lately. I have got to get out and put another block there to keep them visiting the area.

I use the red/brown mineral blocks from TSC, the deer love it and it is cheap.

Rosewood
 

ssramage

Senior Member
Yes they are. I have a stand against a tree I built to hold the mineral block. It is empty but the deer are licking the wood and ground all around it lately. I have got to get out and put another block there to keep them visiting the area.

I use the red/brown mineral blocks from TSC, the deer love it and it is cheap.

Rosewood

Do you add anything else to the sites to get them started? I may have to go this route since I can't find the other ingredients for the homebrew recipe.
 

rosewood

Senior Member
Do you add anything else to the sites to get them started? I may have to go this route since I can't find the other ingredients for the homebrew recipe.
Nope, just put the block out. I typically put one near where a corn feeder is so they already know the area, but I have put some in random places near a trail and they find it without any other incitement. The stand I put one on is to keep the hogs from rolling it off. They will relocate one in a hurry.

Rosewood
 

Tight Lines

Senior Member
Do you add anything else to the sites to get them started? I may have to go this route since I can't find the other ingredients for the homebrew recipe.
Here is what I do, not that it is the best example but it works for me...I started all of the mineral sites on my last lease, and here is what I do to get them started:

1. Rake about 6' x 6' and tear up the soil, ideally over a stump or a low spot to hold water when it rains...
2. Spread 100 lbs. of deer or cattle minerals...
3. Spread a bag or two of Deer Cain or Deer Cain Black Magic or Stump Licker...
4. Stir it into the ground...
5. Put a trophy rock right in the middle of it...
6. Pour one bag of corn around the perimeter...

The corn will get them there, they'll learn that it tastes good and return, and the trophy rock is how I tell it needs to be replenished...when it is gone, I throw another bag of minerals and deer cain on it...after about 2 years, you only have to do it once per year...

I think if there is a stump it is best, especially if it was a hardwood that won't disintegrate...they will paw and gnaw at it...
 

nmurph

Senior Member
TSC red block- I bust them into 2-3 pieces with a small sledgehammer. These were out less than a week when these pics were taken. In the past I've only used 3-4 locations. This year I bought 7 blocks and probably have 15-20 spots scattered across 300ac. I've never used anything to prime a spot. Throw it on the ground along a trail and they'll hit it!!20200401_134147_resize_46.jpg20200401_134138_resize_37.jpg
 
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