I have not had much luck over the years putting in mineral sites. I live on the sand plain where the Mississippi flowed when the glaciers melted. I hear about others who put sites in and the deer dig a hole at my place they don't touch it. I have had luck with trophy rocks but that is about it. I have talk to others in different parts of the country and I had a guy tell me about how they do it. It was suggested that I dig out the sand and form a basin and back fill with clay then apply the mineral. Anyone here ever hear of this?
Sand is a highly porous "soil" (substrate). This means water and dissolved minerals in the water will pass through the medium more quickly than other soil forms, apart from gravel. Consequently from your point of view, mineral "sites" will not last long, require refreshing very frequently and cost a great deal to maintain. In fact, after every precipitation event, you should refresh depending on the intensity of the event, the volume of moisture, and the degree of mineralization prior to the precipitation event. Resolving this problem is questionable. In a "floodplain" your efforts may be destroyed on a regular basis or seasonally depending on flooding frequency and magnitude. As you explain, forming a basin and lining it with clay will certainly work. Clay is at the opposite end of the spectrum from sand in terms of porosity. Clay is made up from very fine particles with very little space between them, so they tend to hold water (and dissolved minerals). You can also add vast amounts of organic material to sand to help retain water and dissolved minerals but this will need constant upkeep and addition. Alternatively an impervious membrane (tarp) will hold all water and contents (minerals) which is also not ideal unless you want a mineral slushy for your deer. If I were you, I would try to find other locations to set-up mineral stations or use blocks/rocks which will take longer to disintegrate/dissolve than granular product mixed into the sand. Goodluck... I have a similar problem. Sandy soils hold few nutrients as a result of porosity so growing things (food plots) is challenging and requires a lot of soil replenishment. T
I was going to hit the easy button and buy a few bags of bentonite from a well driller rather than using soil type clay. The sand is a challenge to grow in I do not thin around the plots as much it is a fine line between not enough sunlight and if you thin too much the plots dry out. I irrigate both of my plots.
Around here we dump em on stumps or rotten logs..maybe you could grab n old tree n carve it out n try that..seen guys on youtube usin that method..
I guess I over thought it I have feed sites with cameras so stumps were not in the perfect place. I cut wood for heat and have 28" plus oak base truck cuts. I can hollow out a chunk in the middle make a bowl and place it where I want, I can even move it when the plot is thawed to the summer feed site. Portable Stump, I should sell them.
My primary hunting farm is extremely sandy. I have had mineral in the same location since 2008. I have had zero issues with it leaching into the ground too much. The deer visit the sight every day year round. There is now a 2 foot deep hole in the ground where they have eaten the sand when the mineral runs low. I don't think soil type will have any effect If they want the mineral
[ I have had as much as 1400 lbs of mineral consumption in 1 year and it all started by accident. Then add in that i have friends in the flavor industry. Add in tricks that i learned in the ruminant nutrition industry and you get about 24 years worth of experiments that all started with an accident. Deer have a range of salt that they will consume. This varies according to water and plant sodium levels for that particular area. The maximum consumption range for deer mineral is between 15-25% salt. This also corresponds with findings in the cattle and horse industry. Too much salt limits intake and also create a hard mineral block/rock. Too little salt typically means there is unpalatability and dusty of mineral lick. Animals don't like anything dusty. There is one solution and that is a clean form of dical but i am only aware of one of those in the US. Effective mineral stations are dug about 2-3 inches deer initially. Deer are ruminants and designed to eat with their noses on the ground. There is physiological reasons for this. They also prefer to paw the mineral into the ground. I always kick a little dirt over any new/fresh mineral that is placed. Deer flavors are also the post lead and miss information out there. I have done numerous trials on all flavors. I get plenty of new stuff supplied to me to test out and what appeals to our nose doesn't mean it appeals to the deer. Deer are also creature of habit. They resist change and need a consistent flavor package that "stays on the ground" and doesn't volitize(go airbourne). There is a trick to have this happen. There is also differences between dry flavor agents and liquid flavor agents. I have formulated numerous mixes with both and i prefer liquid for some feeds but the dry base for the minerals for deer. So to build one's own ideal deer mineral here is what you do. Mixing Directions 5 lbs of ultimate deer base or 5 lbs ultimate deer base or 35 lbs 2-1 mineral 10 lbs salt 10 lbs salt 10 lbs salt 15 lbs calcium 35 lbs monocalcium phosphate 5 lbs ultimate deer base 20 lbs monocalcium phosphate You want to form a light crust on the top of your mineral lick but you also don't want your minerals to become "trophy rock". The science is, loose mineral is more readily consumed than block forms. Hope this helps....my opinions only!!
I have not had the same results as you and I tried a couple different brands, I am going to use monster raxx this year.
LUCKY BUCK IS more an attractant than mineral. The level of salt limits intake and there is a low plain of nutrition in that product. It's a good attractant. It should be priced around $4 per pail... salt regulates intake 50% salt or more will lead to less than 1 oz/hd/day of intake
