Welcome to TheOhioOutdoors
Wanting to join the rest of our members? Login or sign up today!
Login / Join

Mineral Article: DIY Style

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
I can't seem to be able to ID the Di-calcium Phosphate or the Monocalcium on either TSC or Rural Kings websites. Both are just down the road from me. Thanks
Frank

I would just go there and ask for it. I doubt that is something that makes the website, but something they should have in stock. If they do not, I would check with a local independent feed mill if there is one around...
 

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
6,551
66
SW Ohio
I would just go there and ask for it. I doubt that is something that makes the website, but something they should have in stock. If they do not, I would check with a local independent feed mill if there is one around...

Thanks Jesse. TSC and Rural King is about 3 miles away. The closest independent is 26 miles round trip. But I have to run up there next week for a load of corn for the stove so I will wait a week.
Frank
 

cotty16

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
The deer are still visiting the site pretty regularly. It's probably due to be freshened up. Hoping to get it done this weekend after a little turkey hunting.

We have also had what appears to be 4 different bucks visiting. Here are two pics, one of a buck and one of, what appears to be, a plump doe. It also appears I need to reposition the camera slightly for evening pics. Who put that sun in the western sky?

343.jpg

1118.jpg
 
Last edited:

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
I'm heading out to the farm this weekend to make use of the natural seep I found back in the fall. I'm excited to see how this improves/changes my camera pics this spring. I'll snap several pics to share. It's that time fellas!
 

OhioHunter88

Junior Member
270
68
Perry County
Got two sites established so far, I used the whitetail institute 30-06 20lb bag with a gallon of buck jam in a jug on top per site... I plan to go grab the ingredients to make my own and do at least two more with that and keep them all freshened up with the DIY mix
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
Took advantage of the spring/mineral seep I found in the fall. We dug around until we found the source, then set the trace mineral block up right next to it. I sprinkled about 10#s of stock salt on top once I cleared the leaves.





You can see how far down the hill they have this torn up. The mud smells just like a handful of pennies. I expect to see a lot of traffic here.



Where as I like the mix that I detailed in Post #1, this will produce similar results for $10. Hard to drop more $ on minerals when I have so much other stuff going on. Doing things DIY style means adapting to fit your situation. This site will do just fine!
 

at1010

*Supporting Member*
4,943
139
I got two licks out behind the house and the deer just aren't hitting them. I think I might go buy stock salt a RK and sprinkle it on the site to get them kicked off!

Nice looking setup Jesse!
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
This place is getting torn up! It is amazing how fast it will dissolve a 50# trace mineral block. Takes 7 days if it rains, 10-14 if it stay relatively dry. There is a steady seep of water and it's saturated this area with salty water. I threw down the remainder of a bag of stock salt today and that'll do it for the summer. I see no reason to fool with having a lick any where else on the farm from this point forward...

 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
I ran in to a local kid that's part of my wife's extended family about 6 weeks ago at the local gun store. He was bummed out because they didn't have some crazy concoction he'd seen on TV. I looked up what it was and what it costs and about fell over. So I told him to follow me to Rural King and I'd hook him up with 5 times the produce for 1/3 the price. I recently saw some pics on his FB page and the deer are hammering his set up. He sent me a message last night thanking me for the idea. Deer what salt fellers and they could give a shit what goofy pro-staff guy endorses a product or how fancy the bucket is that it comes in.
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
DIY Deer Minerals​

A life lesson engrained in me over the years is easily represented by the old adage: Anything worth doing is worth doing right. Furthermore, I’ve come to learn that anything worth doing right is often worth doing yourself. The term “DIY” has been hot for the past decade, but the majority of sportsmen know that we have embodied the DIY movement for centuries. Whether it is building your own hunting blind, reloading your own ammo, or crafting your own calls, nothing is more fulfilling than making something uniquely yours. It is this mindset that prompted me to create my own mineral mix for use on our farm each spring and throughout the summer months. As is often the case with all DIY projects, trial and error is often the best educator and this mix was no different!

From past research, I know that my mix needs to have a high concentration of calcium and phosphorus in order to assist antler growth. The mix should introduce trace minerals such as magnesium and zinc to aid in structural development as well. But more importantly, I need to ensure the deer will find my mineral site and I can achieve this by including something in the mix that deer can’t resist – salt.

Why salt? During spring green up and early summer, deer are almost always suffering from a sodium deficiency due to the high potassium and water content of the forage they consume at this time of year. This affects their ability to efficiently convert sodium in the body, and subsequently increases their need for sodium intake. This deficiency forces deer to actively seek out concentrated sources of sodium such as our mineral sites. With the basic needs of my deer herd taken in to account, it is time to take a look at the mineral mix itself…

My DIY Mineral Mix:

One-Part Stock Salt
One-Part Di-Calcium Phosphate
Two-Parts Trace Mineral Salts


Depending on current prices and availability, you should be able to round up these ingredients for roughly $60-70. This mix makes close to 200 pounds and will effectively start and maintain 2-3 sites per year. The stock salt is essentially the same salt used to create another beloved DIY project, homemade ice cream! Di-Calcium Phosphate is an additive used in dairy cattle operations to aid in digestion and protein retention. This will perform the same function in our local deer herd. Trace Minerals are commonly used as dietary supplements for smaller livestock such as sheep and goats. Each of these items should be readily available at most well stocked feed mills.

This weekend, I plan to revisit two sites that have been very active sites for me over the past few years. There are still several variables we can address such as site selection, preparation, maintenance, and monitoring; but that will have to wait for another day! With any luck, I’ll have some pictures of this year’s shooter bucks in the early stages of antler development within the next 60 days!!!

Time to get this on your radar fellas! That, soil samples and frost seeding. These next 2-8 weeks are a great time for all of that type of work.
 

jagermeister

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
18,060
223
Ohio
Time to get this on your radar fellas! That, soil samples and frost seeding. These next 2-8 weeks are a great time for all of that type of work.
I was just thinking about this thread the other day. Good timing. I just frost seeded some red clover last week.