Im thinking of doing a mineral site this year. have you done one if so do you have any tips? when should I put it out and how long should i keep it going?
I have done plenty of mineral sites and the time is now! I keep it going for most of the year. At least until Fall. Bow season starts the first week of September here. A lot of people get MonsterRaxx and a bottle of their attractant and pour it over a dead/decaying log or clear a spot and pour it on the ground and mix it into the soil. Either way is effective.
I have invented and formulated for various companies numerous attractants, deer minerals and the like. I have used up to 1400 lbs of deer mineral a year on the 320 acres and my best advice is : Deer are ruminants and they are built to have their nose on the ground. Dig a small hole about 6" deep and start by placing around 10-15 lbs of deer mineral per spot. Have at least one mineral placed per 20-40 acres and preferably close enough to water. Refresh every 1-2 weeks. Most deers minerals are attractants and not true free choice products. Salt regulates intakes on animals and so too much will limit consumption and too little and it will not create the thin crust on top of the product to help it shed water. You dont want your deer mineral to become like a salt block and you don't need a pile of mush. Many deer minerals use bad science and unless you get deer to come to the licks every day or two, the oxides and sulfates in the trace minerals get washed through the blood stream. Many of the fancy bagged products appeal to the people buying the product but aren't NATURAL DEER ATTRACTANTS. There is much more I can say as i've done numerous studies involving numerous scents, enhancers and levels of salt. Deer minerals are one thing I have a passion for but cringe at most of the products out on the market.
