Mineral Attractants
Connecticut
Does anyone use mineral attractnts?
I used black magic a few years back and it worked great. Deer were hitting at all hours of the day.
Last year I used deer cane in one of my hunting spots and deer would feed on a rotten stum for 20-30 minutes at a time.
Has anyone had any success with any other minerals?
I have put out Mineral Blocks, usually the big 40-50 pound ones. Nice thing is they last for a long time, even when you get heavy rains.
They get hit a lot more in late spring and early summer, I guess in theory at least, they'll provide what lactating does need, and what bucks need for antler growth. They sure are a great place to hang a camera to see what's around.
I don't think they'll really pull many deer in during the hunting season, but they may get them to alter their travel patterns to include your area.
I haven't played around with many of the powdered ones. Those may work better in the fall.
Just poured out a bag of bone d monium in front of camera yesterday we will see!
Trophy Rock all natural mineral rock. I put them out not as an attractant but to help their general health and rack growth potential as natural minerals is the one thing deer never get enough in their normal diet around here
Trophy Rock Mineral Rock. Put one out in early March and another mid-July. Deer magnate. Seems they can't walk by without hitting it.
I tried the deer cane. It pulled in the deer for sure but mainly in the heat of summer. By fall the deer don't bother. I was all excited with tons of pics from summer. Bachelor groups and all. Then come hunt season activity was maybe 20% of summer time. If your gojng to use the minrrals Go to tractor supply and by the mineral blocks for 5 bucks they are huge. Like 25 lbs. I compared the make up of a few blocks and it is the same ingredients as the name brand blocks that cost 20 bucks. Plus you get a 25 lb. Block as compared to a name branded small block.
I put out 50lbs of Champions Choice livestock mineral supplement (got if from Agway) in Mid March. Its granular and I mixed it into the dirt. Went back Memorial Day weekend and it was getting hammered. A pie pan shaped hole about 10 inches across and 4 inches deep was gone. I refreshed and will eyeball it later this month when I go to set stands. I won't refresh this year again because there should be plenty of salty soil after putting in 100lbs of salt. Definitely changed movement patterns.. to between two stand sites. We'll see if its a permanent change when the desire for salt slacks off.
V,
Someone said that a few years back and I bought a 50 lbs bag for about $7 and put it at a property I didn't go back to so I'm not sure if it worked.
I bought something from Tractor Supply about a month ago it may have been a Trophy Rock and I have 2 bucks in addition to the usualls that have been hitting it. I will check to see what is was and let you all know.
Rock salt would work and water purification salts are usually sodium cholride (table salt) and potassium chloride (the no salt table salt). None of the trace stuff though. content of what I used this year:
designed specifically to provide the essential salt plus the correct balance of trace minerals. The formula includes zinc .35%, iron .20%, manganese .20%, copper .03%, iodine .007% and cobalt .005% to make the perfect blend for healthy beef and dairy cattle, swine and horses
