How to make Homemade Deer Mineral Lick

Thought I'd pass along this recipe for a homemade mineral lick for deer. Here's a link to the eHow article: How to make Homemade Mineral Lick. In addition to deer feeders, it's very important to have an established deer mineral lick. I've used this recipe in the past, and it's proven it works. Not only do deer utilize it heavily, these supplement minerals provide alot of nutrition for the deer.

1 part Dicalcium Phosphate (dairy feed additive, comes in 50lb bags. You'll need one)
2 parts trace mineral salt (loose) (50lb bags, buy two)
1 part loose stock salt.  (50lb bags, buy one)

Makes around 200lbs, you can usually make two or three mineral licks with the ingredients.

All of these are available to purchase at most local feed and farm supply stores. You can use a 3-lb coffee can for the measurements. Clear 3-ft circle of ground of any leaves, debris, etc. Also, you can use a rake or shovel to break up the ground, so the minerals get soaked into the soil.

Dicalcium phosphate is used primarily as dairy cattle feed additive and other animal feeds. It promotes feed digestion, weight gain, and milk production, which is obviously beneficial to a lactating doe deer. Dicalcium phosphate contains roughly between 18 and 21 percent phosphorus and 19 to 23 percent calcium.

Dicalicium phospate is great for antler growth because antlers are consist of large amounts of calcium and phosphorous.

Trace minerals contains salt, which is an attractant, but also contains magnesium and potassium. These minerals also help the deer herd health.

This should be replenished after 6 months and then once a year thereafter. Most use seems to be during the spring and summer months on mineral licks. It's a good idea to keep these areas replenished and stocked in the same spot to maintain use. I like to put mine out in March. Also, it's nice to have this mineral spot close to water.

Good luck hunting!!

A must have for easy access to your binoculars and rangefinder

If you're like me having access to your optics is a must. I can't tell you how many times I've been digging around in my backpack while on the stand trying to get my rangefinder or binoculars, before the deer gets out of site. Well, I finally purchased the Crooked Horn Outfitters Bino-System. It's a harness that holds your binoculars and/or rangefinder close to your body, and out of the way if you're bowhunting. I hate binoculars hanging around my neck so these let your shoulders do the supporting. Check them out at Bass Pro Shops.

What binoculars do you guys use? I'm in need of some new hunting binoculars. I've been looking at the Nikon Monarch ATB 10x42 binoculars pretty hard!! Nikon binoculars have a great reputation and great reviews. Hopefully, I'll have me a new pair of Nikon Monarch bincoculars by Christmas! (Hint: Christmas present)

New Comer to Outdoor Gear-Check out Muddy Outdoors

I've been noticing alot of advertisements lately on Muddy Outdoors. They've got some really good looking products. Treestands, climbing sticks, harnesses, camera arms, etc. The climbing sticks look very similar to the Lone Wolf sticks, and everyone knows how popular those are. I bought some last week, can't wait to use them this year. Muddy Outdoors offers "Hunter" and "Hunter Pro" stands. They are basically identical stands other than the "Hunter Pro" being a little smaller platform and weighing a couple pounds less. I really like how the seat and platform adjusts so if you have few tree choices at least you can make your stand fit the tree. If anyone has any of these stands, I'd love to hear how you like them. Go Muddy!!

Spring Deer Scouting

One of my favorite times to be scouting is February to April. It's a great time to get in the woods, and start to figure out how and where the big ones avoided me. The deer trails are easily seen, because all the undergrowth is practically dead. You also can find some sheds while walking the trails. You can start making mental notes of where you find sheds, as well as rubs and scrapes. I've located a few spots that I plan on having treestands at this coming year. So here's a list of things you can do to prepare for next season!

1) Walk game trails to find out where they're traveling
2) Look for sheds,rubs, scrapes
3) Find new stand locations, and go ahead and trim some shooting lanes
4) Put mineral blocks out, I usually start around first of April for mineral blocks

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