Our camp has used "Lucky Buck" for 5 years now and have seen great results. It was our first supplement that we put out and I cannot complain on how it has worked. We get it out in the early spring and continue it through the fall. The deer seem to respond to it very well early and then lay off in the fall. There is probably better stuff out there but we have not tried it because it has worked so well for us. We have noticed big differences with the antlers the bucks develop.
Zilla

 

I have used the mineral blocks that you buy from Tractor supply for years. Get the ones with selenium if you want to help antler growth. I have one that I can see from my bedroom window and it is on a stump that is now surounded by about a foot of water and I have seen as many as six deer on it at once all standing in knee deep water. I also use lucky buck and purina antler max with great results.

 

Lucky Buck has a web site and charge $22 for the minerals. That includes shipping. Is that a good price?

Thanks, Marco

 

It costs between $13.95 and $15.00 in this area. Jays sporting goods has it for 15 and Gander Mtn. has it for I think $20 but they will price match.

 

I've used Lucky Buck with really good results. Recently I started buying the Dical. Phosphate, Trace Mineral Salts and Powdered Molasses at the local Feed store here in Holland. Piers Feeds has a product called Bio-Plus Mineral that has Calcium (Ca), Phosphorus (P), Mag. (Mg), Potassium (K), Selenium (Se) and Vitamins A, D, E. The Mono and Dical. Phosphate are already mixed in. I use a coffee can to fill a 1/2 plastic bucket of the Mineral. Use one can of the Bio-Plus Mineral, one can of the Trace Mineral Salt, and one can of the Powdered Molasses for attractant.

I've had really, really good luck with this. I paid $17.00 for a 50 lb. bag of Bio-Plus Mineral, $10.00 for a 50 lb. bag of Trace Mineral salt and $12.00 for a 50 lb. bag of Powdered Molasses. I just rake a bare area about 3ft x 3ft and sprinkle this mixture on top of the ground. Spray a little doe or **** urine on the site to cover your human scent. I also made a trough feeder box to distribute it...that can work as well. If you live in the West MI area, give Piers Feed a call, they have many other products including food plot seed.

Piers Feed and Country Store
A-4384 58th st.
Holland, MI
49423
(616) 396-2586

 

I'm using "Champs Deer Suppliment" this year. The deer are tearing it up, I'll let everyone know how effective it is this fall.

www.champsdeerminerals.com

 

Just bought a mineral block at Tractor Supply. Going to take it out to my spot this weekend!:chillin:

 

The problem with most mineral "supplements" is that they contain little real nutritional value for the deer.
Research has shown that to be effective, a supplement must contain nutrients and trace elements that can be used by the does and fawns for good adult growth.
Think about it, healthy does and fawns grow large adult deer.

"Lucky Buck" contains 65% salt and not much else. Sure the deer like it, but a 6 dollar block of salt would do the same thing.
There are some mineral supplements on the market that have good nutritional value and you are buying a balanced product for the deer.
One that we have been using is TROPHY'S CHOICE by Wildlife Nutritional Systems of Homer, MI. We have seen a great effect on the antler development in the last 3 years we have used it. It has only 6% salt and alot of trace minerals and nutrients.

 

I agree with the above post. I've used Whitetail Institute's 30-06 for several years, the first year hooked me.

 

While I use mineral supplements, I have to ask myself this; What farmer would put out a supplement for his cows and depend on it to "produce" healthy cows? REAL nutrition comes from what the animal eats and not a "pill".

How many of you would feed your kids a vitamin tablet in the morning and then feed them junk food and figure everything was just fine?

I've read that supplements do almost nothing in a wild deer herd.

 

I use Purina Antler max with great results. I get a 25# bag for around $11. It gets hit from around March or April until August or Sept. I hunted within sight of my mineral lick last year and never saw a deer visit it. But I went through a bag a month during the spring and summer.

 

I also use purina antler max mineral mix. This is the second year using it. The first yr didnt notice alot of activity. this yr I added water softner rock salt and they are just tearing it up. I think the added salt is the ticket to get them to use it. As far as noticing a difference in deer quality, buck or doe I think it would take several years of mineral supplement feed to get a telling difference.

 

While I use mineral supplements, I have to ask myself this; What farmer would put out a supplement for his cows and depend on it to "produce" healthy cows? REAL nutrition comes from what the animal eats and not a "pill".

How many of you would feed your kids a vitamin tablet in the morning and then feed them junk food and figure everything was just fine?

I've read that supplements do almost nothing in a wild deer herd.

But many farmers put out mineral blocks and grain. Some grains are suplemented with various vitamins.

Not an answer, just another piece of the puzzle IMHO.


Chevyjam, I've noticed that deer prefer it from February until about the end of September or middle of October.

 

I use a cow calf mineral that I get at a local feed store, it's only $12.00 a 50# bag and has only 40% salt, they love it

 

I'm trying to wrap my mind around the idea of a block (pile..hole...stump) of flavorful minerals that will concentrate deer encouraging them to lick and the measures the State has installed for minimizing the same deer behavior over a bait pile (to wit, 2 gallons spread out over 100sqft).

If CWD and TB are the fears spurred by concentrating deer over the beet pile.......wouldn't it be the same with concentrating them over the salt block?

 

If CWD and TB are the fears spurred by concentrating deer over the beet pile.......wouldn't it be the same with concentrating them over the salt block?

I've been wondering why it's not legal in MI to put out minerals during this time of year.

Would it have to do with your point regarding disease fears through concentrating deer?

If so, I still don't follow why it's legal later in the year to put out minerals, but not at other times of the year such as summer.

 

I agree November Sunrise. The deer need and prefer the minerals even before spring green up, through summer and then as the fall crops ripen, they hardly ever visit them.

 

"I've been wondering why it's not legal in MI to put out minerals during this time of year.

Would it have to do with your point regarding disease fears through concentrating deer?

If so, I still don't follow why it's legal later in the year to put out minerals, but not at other times of the year such as summer."

You mean to tell me that putting out minerals this time of year is ILLEGAL?

Wow the dnr will have a field day reading all of the posts about guys putting minerals out already. And there are even pictures for proof on the "deer cam" forum.

 

Using salt and mineral supplements fall under the baiting regulations and by law you can't start until Oct. 1st. Maybe the law will change to accomodate these supplements but for now that's how it's viewed legally. You can do it for recreational purposes as long as it's within 100 yards of your residence so I'd say if you want to supplement, put it within that criteria and not around your hunting stand.

My understanding is if you are going to use a mineral you're better off using it in granular vs block form. I've liked the Whitetail Institutes 30-06 mineral myself.

 

I was out today replenishing my mineral station with Champs Deer Suppliment and after I left I was going to check out the next ridge which is about 75 yards from the suppliment. There he was, nice looking 8 point with some thick bases. He had no idea I was there, I had on my scentlok suit and he proceeded to walk with 40 yards of me. It was awesome.

Don't know if the suppliment is working, however he is the biggest buck I've seen on the property since I've been hunting it (3 years). I have however passed up on all bucks that are below 8 points. This buck looked like a little 6 pointer I had under my stand last year. Anyhow it definately got me pumped up for bow season.

 

I like to give em a little lead, about 165 grains at a time.

 

I think MI has it right! Any mineral station or block had better be within 100 yds of your residence to be legal right now.

Using salt and mineral supplements fall under the baiting regulations and by law you can't start until Oct. 1st. Maybe the law will change to accomodate these supplements but for now that's how it's viewed legally. You can do it for recreational purposes as long as it's within 100 yards of your residence so I'd say if you want to supplement, put it within that criteria and not around your hunting stand.

My understanding is if you are going to use a mineral you're better off using it in granular vs block form. I've liked the Whitetail Institutes 30-06 mineral myself.

 

The vast majority of livestock farms supplement their animals with minerals and usually vitamins. This is true from poultry to dairy cows. Could be blended with grains, or a separate mineral-salt mix.

Evaluating this is pretty tough. Many folks simply evaluate their minerals by how much the deer eat. (Deer like salt) To measure actual nutritional benefits is a major undertaking and we probably can't do it on most private properties. Two reasons for this: first, even in a university research setting, it takes a lot of deer on the ground for data on antlers, body sizes, etc. to be accurate at evaluating moderate differences. Second, mineral nutrition is long term...so the performance of a deer this year is likely affected by his/her mineral nutrition last year.

I also always mention that deer get a lot of mineral nutrition from high quality foods such as food plot plants and native forbs. Not a lot of calcium or phosphorus in corn and beech brush, but there is a lot in clovers, chicory, brassicas, etc. So even if you can't or won't put out minerals, you can make a difference.

As FreePop said, "Not an answer, just another piece of the puzzle" Part of the big picture of deer nutrition.

Anderson3