Just curious to see what you guys put out and determining the right spot for a new lick sight

Setting one out for deer would be considered baiting in Illinois, which is illegal.

Drop a mineral block anywhere and the deer will find it.

In a secluded spot near a trail...

Dig a 18" hole pour in a few inches of crushed rock salt, shovel back in a few inches of dirt.. repeating salt/dirt until hole is full and cover with dirt.

I've had deer dig down two feet eating the "salt dirt"...


John III

I recently heard that the salt cubes for water softeners works great and it's cheap, too.

1 part - Di-Calcium Phosphate
1 part - salt
2 parts - trace mineral

Mixing your own will allow you to make a lick as large or small as you want.

Dig a hole and mix the lick with dirt...then sit back and wait for the deer to find it.

I have found the best time to put a lick in is during Spring. This is also when my licks get the most activity.

Also I do not hunt over the licks...I just have them in the areas where I hunt. In Georgia it is not illegal to bait but it is illegal to hunt over it.

I agree with Curtis Surtees... I got the recipe for the mixture here about two years ago.  I mix my own and honestly is very cheep compaired to what you might purchase anywhere else.  I have two spots and it is amazing at how the deer have responded to the licks.  Not only are they several inches deep but the deer are healthier because of it.  I recharge the licks with about a gallon of mixture about once a month and it cost me about $30 a year.
I also do not hunt over the licks and have found they need to be somewhat close to water for best results.  Even though I do not hunt over them, the do travel to them.
By the way they tell me where I buy my minerals the Di-Calcium Phosphate is for nursing cattle.  I think that is why they get so much activity in the spring and early summer.

I like to put out the sulfer salt blocks that you can get at feed stores.  My theory is that with the sulfer added it might keep a few ticks off.  I also have used the salt cubes like D.Key posted.  They are a lot cheaper than salt and mineral blocks.  

BOB

QuoteOriginally posted by Chris Surtees:
1 part - Di-Calcium Phosphate
1 part - salt
2 parts - trace mineral

Mixing your own will allow you to make a lick as large or small as you want.

Dig a hole and mix the lick with dirt...then sit back and wait for the deer to find it.

I have found the best time to put a lick in is during Spring. This is also when my licks get the most activity.

Also I do not hunt over the licks...I just have them in the areas where I hunt. In Georgia it is not illegal to bait but it is illegal to hunt over it.

We use the same mix Chris uses. We dig up the soil about 2-3' in diameter and 12-18" deep and mix the mix in with it. We have so many deer we've found that a spot with multiple licks a few yards apart is good thing and keeps the hoof boxing to a minimum. Most activity is definitely this time of year through September while racks are growing. I really enjoy hanging cameras on these licks and watching the antler growing progress. We've had multiple rainy weekends but we are going out this weekend to freshen up all ours.

where do you buy the three ingredients ?

i get it at our local southern states, tractor supply. Some feed places have it. Comes in 50lb bags.

I purchase everything from the feed store down here.

Trace mineral!!! i put it out during the off season. deer are hitting them hard now that their racks are growing

My mix differs slightly.

I use;

1 part Di-Cal
2 part Salt
1 part all purpose livestock mineral


The reason I don't use trace mineral is because you are buying only a trace of minerals. Read the analysis on the bag of TM compared to a bag of cattle min. or all purpose livestock min. A bag of minerals may have as much as 200-300 times more mineral content than trace mineral.

Just my 2 Cents

thanks guys ....

Put a salt cube in back yard two weeks ago. Looked out window after seeing this post and waallaa two doe lickin and kickin it!!

50lb of red trace minerals
50lb of dicalcium phosphate
25lb of ag lime

Mix and apply
A lot less salt and more mineral characteristics found in antlers.