Mineral Licks

Polaris

Handloader
Dec 16, 2009
1,239
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Does anybody use these for hunting? Results?

I used to hunt public land, so I never bothered, didn't want to give up my stealthy spots. Since I purchased my own parcel, I put a couple out last fall. Didn't get a lot of action then, but since about June, the spots where I put them have been getting destroyed. I put both on old tree stumps, and they have since been licked/chewed down to solid green wood and the soil about pawed and licked up pretty impressively. Put a camera on one, and snowshoe hare and deer, heavy on the bucks, have been the primary customers. So much traffic routing to the 2 block locations they've been altering the basic deer movement patterns through the parcel.

I'm using micronutrient blocks from the feed store. Soil is silty loam saturated with acidic bog water and heavy in dissolved iron, so likely natural free minerals are scarce, especially in the basic spectrum. Anybody have similar results with mineral licks?
 
When I lived in TN, the spot the water softener discharged out of the well house was excavated so heavily I had to fill it in with gravel from time to time.

Yeah...I shot a couple deer off that.

Depending on your AO- it can be considered baiting so I'd read the regs for legality.
 
Yes. I have used them and the more I do, the more I like them.

Here's a couple examples: 2015, I hunt an 80 for rifle season, no food plots, no bait. Got permission to set a green salt lick (selenium - which is not naturally found in Michigan soil. It's important to antler development and sexual impulses. That year, we took 1-10, 3-8's, and 2 6's off an 80 acre. Last year, owner put out bait, no licks, no luck, 0 bucks. I put one out this year in July. April or May is better. Has to be done long before season. Report out around 11/20

Next example. A friend with a 120, is considering renting out his land, but is clueless on deer. I put out a Biorock on May27th, by June 10, my camera had put 4367 pictures on my 8GB card. Pretty much every deer anywhere near was coming to that ridge multiple times a week.

Of course, if everyone puts one out, the value diminishes.

I do like putting the licks on an old stump. They will chew that stump below the ground long after the lick is gone.

Trying Deer Cane this year. I should have an initial report in early October.


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We use them in conjuction with food plots and protein feeding. The freakin hogs use them more than anything. :>)
 
I have been using them for a couple years, with good results. Mostly Trophy Rock. They really tear the ground up after it dissolves.

Here's the buck I'm gunning for this fall, visiting my lick a few weeks ago. His buddy is in the background. You can see what the site looks like, it keeps getting bigger.

image.jpg
 
You know,

I'd shoot a buck for tearing up my grass like that........................................
 
We have use them for years in 2 different spots where we have harvested a number of quality Whitetail Bucks :wink:.
We also use them on one of our Elk stands :).

Blessings,
Dan
 
c. schutte":32r68e7z said:
You know,

I'd shoot a buck for tearing up my grass like that........................................

Quite a sensible response, Charles! Shame on a buck that is on a tear!
 
I've put them out every year in the same place to help antler development and for their own nutritional needs. Lots of Elk and Deer use it throughout the year. I buy the Brown ones that have various minerals as well as the salt.

I've read Bats will use them too though, but I have never seen them near it although it's usually too dark to even notice.
 
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