Does anybody out there feed the free choice mineral? I saw some at TSC and was curious. For those that do feed it, have you seen any improvements? Also, how are you feeding it? Topdressing free choice protien or a separate feed station?

Thanks.

I have tried every type of mineral that is out it seems like in the past with limited to no success. Every area is going to have different degrees of success or failure with minerals. I have used granular and blocks thru the years. The only success I have had was very limited use of loose granular mineral poured into a small box on the ground. It was kept there year after year and use was minimal, no real pattern of usage. Deer used it when they wanted it. I have seen guys mix the granular mineral with soil to make lick sites with some success. No need to top dress deer proteins as most have a very good mineral package already. I have seen some success in areas with stable soils when guys would spread the granular loose mineral on the ground under their corn feeders. The deer would get the mineral when they ate the corn. I always check cattle mineral blocks/feeders on a ranch to see if the deer are using them. Most of the usage I have observed by deer are on mineral blocks that are on the ground. The deer will eat the mineral and soil around the edges as the mineral leaches into the soil.

Thanks for the info STX. I may just put a block in the feeder pen and monitor it with a game camera to see if they use it at all.

Did you buy a regular 12-12 type mineral block or trace mineral block or trophy rock type block?

I haven't purchased anything yet, was just polling everyone on whether it has any benefit at all. Which one would you recommend for a test?

I do feel that it is a benefit and we use the cattle 12-12 in granular form. I put it in a small wood box with very low sides deer dont like for their vision to be blocked. I will sprinkle a little corn over the top at first and then just keep an eye on it as need for refill. Our deer seem to have a higher intake during the summer months than in the winter but we keep it out year round.

I have purina goat mineral out for my Ibex. The deer use it as well.

yalls soil is very rich in mineral already isnt it? or you not far enough south? herd of deer just randomly licking dirt down there..

Most areas of Texas have soils high in Calcium. Some areas will be low in phosphorus and others not. I have never seen a deer licking dirt though. What I have seen in a lot of areas with deer is that they will go to a mudpuddle and stir it up by walking around in it first then drink the water in that mudpuddle over fresh spring, water trough or even tank/pond water. The vegetation that deer eat will give them the mineral that they need in a lot of the areas. They will tend to seek out plants high in what they are lacking in their diets for mineral if it is available.

Huh... handt thought about the tank water, but our tank water looks like chocolate milk all the time.

John, that coffee is getting cold at the OST.

I've had great results from just a bag of spring minerals that you can pick up just about anywhere,threw a 50lb bag out last year and starting to see bald spots from the deer digging it out of ground.

I've use bio rocks / trophy rocks inside feed pens mostly because I can do a drive by and toss the rock into the pen without stopping.
I've used bag mineral also, never noticed any difference between the loose mineral and rocks as far as use by deer goes.

I'm not about to say they do anything for the deer nutrition / trace element / mineral wise or that they attract more deer.
I know from June thru mid to late Sept the deer on our places will lick one down to nuthin in about a month. Pictures show them using the rocks at least 80% of the time they enter the pen.
The rest of the year they sit there doing nothing.

the trick to mineral is that it must be something they desire to consume. deer can readily consume a mineral mix if they have a large deficiency from the soil but most of the time they dont have enough need to stand the taste of all the other minerals/vitamins that they dont need supplemented. biorock/trophy rock are popular with deer because they are over 90% salt and really do not provide anything helpful to the deer.

here is the trick that I found to having deer come to actually beneficial mineral mixes. keep in mind that after doing a lot of research on the amounts needed and actually used by the deer, I found Record Rack Mineral to be the best but certainly not perfect, readily available (all tractor supply stores) mineral mix that is around. When starting the deer out on the minerals, also buy a bag or two or three (depending on how much mineral you are putting out) of dried molasses. I had put out minerals before and a couple sites were used but they only pawed at the ground and really scraped it up after a year or so. Within a month of putting out the molasses mix minerals they have dug holes looking for more at all of the sites. CAUTION: DO NOT USE LOTS OF MOLASSES BECAUSE YOU CAN POISON YOUR DEER BY HAVING THEM EAT FAR TOO MUCH VITAMINS/MINERALS BECAUSE THEY LOVE THE MOLASSES TASTE

Dang fire ants would cart that dried molasses off as fast as you can put it down. I have had better luck taking the Acco mineral and mixing it directly into the soil then wetting it with a 5 gallon bucket of water.

I have had good luck with Turners mineral

http://www.southwesternlivestockmineral.com/minerals/deer/

thats why the dry molasses is mixed with the mineral. I have not seen the ants take away any mineral.

Mineral is one of those things that I don't think needs to be force fed or really sugar coated much. If the deer need it they will adjust their intake.

I have had good luck with bagged cattle mineral and granulated salt. I will dig a hole in the ground near my feeder and pour both into the hole. Lightly cover with dirt and you will see them pawing it out.