Whitetail minerals- winter time or just spring

[K9kodi]

salt and dical can't be beneficial for antler growth it's just an attractant.

Well there are other minerals than salt n dical. While they may do little to not for antlers, salt is an essential mineral

 

[Dude270]

I have put minerals out this time of year but the deer don't pay much attention to it.

It seems to really crank up in March or April

 

[Habitat#1]

salt may be essential but not in the large amounts in some of these mixes,it just makes them drink more water.

 

[cnelk]

This buck was looking for the mineral block that was out during the summer.
It was placed right where his feet are.

 

[Batjac]

At my place in East Texas they start hitting minerals pretty hard in early spring and then totally ignore them by September.

 

[Skerhunter]

I’d have to disagree, but forewarning, doesn’t mean I’m correct.

Minerals come in many forms and purposes. There are, as I’m sure you know, minerals to assist with bone growth / antler development. Your calcium and such. Then there are minerals that are essential for immunity and health, especially for does during pregnancy and lactation, such as phosphorous and trace minerals. Essentially minerals are….essential, and have a huge effect on the atp in the animals systems. Now, if you’re putting them out and not getting much action, there is either enough naturally or placed in a horrible spot.

Deer get a maintenance level of nutrients and minerals from a natural environment. An environment will always or should always, less impacted by humans, to provide for the healthy numbers of deer on it.

Will supplemented feed and minerals create monsters and genetic freaks? No, a deer is only gonna grow to their genetic potential. But…maybe they aren’t reaching genetic potential.

As a human, very physically active, I’ve done tests to myself where I lack some minerals and supplemented, notice a difference too. Huge? Probably not. A diff though, if we spend time on our land helping the wildlife, why stop in the winter at their hardest point after a rut cycle where bucks are vulnerable and during a does pregnancy when she needs the most?

Salt, phosphorous, copper, maganese and zinc are huge overall for heard health, all the time of the year for immunity, health, gestation.

Well said! If allowed they should be left out year round. It also takes YEARS to see the actual benefits.

Also a friendly reminder that feeding “minerals” is complicated, you can’t just throw whatever is cheap out there and make an huge difference. You need to do your research or you may just be wasting money. Even in the livestock world there is still a lot of snake oil salesmen and uneducated producers.

 

[wytx]

Mule deer and elk hit the trace mineral blocks year round for us, they have been established mineral spots for years though. All are near to water also.

 

[squirrel]

A pile of mineral will always be a supplement to whatever they have naturally so that is the key starting point. If they lack natural supply no matter the time of year they will hit the supplement. In bottomless silica sand along the Platte River in Nebraska they seem to crave minerals terribly, even at the slow time of the year. In limestone clay soil country where I have a pile they hit it much more sparingly in the fall but hammer it pretty hard come march/may.

While hauling crushed rock for a slab I drove by a partial load that was in a field and does /fawns were standing on the crushed pile of limestone eating the dust on numerous occasions.

For the cost of it I cant see why you would deprive them at any time just keep it stocked in the same spot so it soaks in and becomes a lick if you do shirk on supplying it regularly. Does it help antlers? I dunno but it makes me think im doing something

 

[Boarmaster]

I created mineral and salt licks that last all year. I replenish those holes in the ground once a year. The minerals soak into the dirt and the deer hit them year round.

 

[squirrel]

I KNOW THIS IS ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE... but it is interesting information and it shows off big deer, which we all love to do.

45 years of a farm here, one family ownership extremely limited harvest, most years no bucks killed.

No mineral for 15 years, mineral for 5-6 years, then no mineral for 10, now mineral the last 3. Yeah I know it doesnt add up but you get the idea.

L-R. buck 1 &4 pre mineral.
buck 2,3,5 in the 5-6 years of mineral.






Here are some from the interim between mineral feeding periods.

There are others but some were predigital days. Yes they are nice deer 155-165 but a good 15-20 shy of the bucks who had mineral available.









Now after the wasteland years, mineral has been re-established. after 3 years of mineral this guy was taken.

Some will rightfully call bullshit due to insufficient data, and they are correct, but I found it very interesting and thought some of you guys might too.