Mineral pit help

[1screagle]

Time to start thinking about adding some minerals for nutrician for deer. Looking for the best recipes. Read one last year using All Purpose Mineral instead of Trace Mineral because there was 300% more mineral. What is your opinion/recipe?

[Gator1]

This should be a good thread. I"d like to try a couple this year.

What is the best time to put them in?  Do they hold Deer pretty well?

[1screagle]

I started 3 pits last year on 200 acres late late summer. From what I remember reading now is a good time and refreshing early summer as they crave these nutrients and is good for the herd health. The mineral pits I started were very active even late summer so I'm excited to start this spring but want some feedback before I do anything as it is something new to me. I remember some good threads but can't find them.

[rastaman]

I buy mine from the regular feed and seed store.  i buy a bag of loose salt and a bag of loose trace minerals salt and mix them together over an old stump. It's a lot cheaper than the "name" brand stuff and the wildlife can't seem to tell the difference.  i have mine out now cause now is when they need it (antler growth, babies developing).  They hit it pretty hard in the spring and summer months...not so much in the fall and winter.

[KentuckyTJ]

http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=088675#000000

[Longbowlogan]

I put out a couple mineral licks last weekend but haven't checked them yet. I used all purpose mineral and trophy rocks.

[lpcjon2]

Go to a Tractor supply store and get trace mineral,salt, and dried molasses. Mix equal parts up in a few 5 gal buckets.Take a metal rake and shovel and dig about 10" down in a 10' area. then spread out the mix and cover it back up with the dirt and sprinkle some on top. You will notice that after a while the deer will have it dug out like a swimming pool.

[arky714]

Try goat mineral .....sold at feed stores....will really help out...

[Pope Co.]

We have used several different products from trace mineral to rock salt. We just get what is cheap or on sale.

Our hole is not as big as a swimming poot but you could put a small hot tub in it.

I see turkeys in the mineral lick area more than I randomly see turkeys in the woods. I've never seen them in the hole or consuming any of the dirt but I have seen a few turkey tracks in the bottom. Does anyone have an opinion if turkeys like a mineral/salt lick?

[Pope Co.]

Swimming Poot

Don't ya just love "typo's"?

[sswv]

if you can get your hands on some 'soda ash' it is beyond belief what size hole the deer will dig. if you do try it always use rubber gloves when handeling. do a google search for more info. you should be able to find it where swimming pool supplies are sold.

[1screagle]

Soda ash? What is that stuff and how can it be good to deer if you have to wear gloves? Have any nutritional value or just salty? Tell me more please.

[sswv]

soda ash is Sodium Carbonate. you can read about it here    www.ansac.com/products/about-soda-ash/


years ago a friend of mine was gathering water samples from coal mine sludge ponds. he always stopped at the same place on one of his routes to eat lunch. while stopped he noticed a bag of soda ash on his truck had busted open. he poured the soda ash over the hill and stuffed the empty bag in a barrel on his truck with all the other trash. he ran this route once a month so the next month he stopped at the same place to have his lunch. he had to take a leak so he stepped over the hill where he had poured the soda ash the month before.  he was totally shocked at what he saw. a ditch that looked like it had been dug out with a pick and shovel. he has used soda ash every since. at the time I worked at a wastewater treatment plant so soda ash was available to me and I started using it myself. I made a mineral hole with it MANY years ago. after one summer you could drop my 4-wheeler in the hole.

the holes the deer dig will give you something to talk about. I can not explain why the deer love it but they sure do.

I wear rubber gloves because the soda ash gives a burning sensation to my hands. my friend does not wear gloves.

[Doc Nock]

An old timer told me that his dad let the Township highway crew dump their old left over highway salt on their family farm back in a fallow area... this gent was 85 when he died 4 yrs ago and he was a young'un then.

he remembered that when they'd walk about past that dump spot, all they'd see were the ear tips of deer...they'd eaten the salt laced DIRT till it was that deep a pit!