Mineral Sites and Dry Weather?

[jagermeister]

Just checked my cams yesterday and unfortunately I was pretty disappointed in the outcome. After a three week soak, I had less pictures than the previous two weeks prior. The minerals were being hit, but not nearly as regularly as they were before this dry spell we've been having lately. I'm just hypothesizing here... But what have you all experienced with mineral sites in dry weather? Seems to me that the dry weather would make a salty mineral site less desirable.

My other problem is the nearest bean field is about a half mile south, across the road... So it may be a combination of things leading to my decreased traffic.

 

[ohio mossy oak]

Im seriously slacking on new lick an cam placement this year..Not to jack your thread Jim..But would a bean field near water be a good spot for said licks..Also do farmers know when they plant corn,which is going to be designated for silage?

 

[RedCloud]

Been running into the same problem with my mineral sites and they are close to a water source. Seems to me the deer are staying in the valley of the riverbottom until well after dark to beat the heat and not staying out very long these days. Need some rain in a bad way as well as cooler temps.

 

[jagermeister]

Im seriously slacking on new lick an cam placement this year..Not to jack your thread Jim..But would a bean field near water be a good spot for said licks..Also do farmers know when they plant corn,which is going to be designated for silage?

Bean field near water = dynamite.

As far as the silage thing goes, I don't have a clue. I would think a farmer would have a game plan with his crops... But I don't know for sure.

 

[Monster Raxx]

The deer are POUNDING my mineral sites and it has been pretty dry here, but Monster Raxx is very low in salt. I agree with you guys a mineral site near beans and water is perfect.

 

[hickslawns]

Mine are getting hit. The one hit the hardest with the most variety is between a creek and bean field with a corn field 100yds to the west. Perfect funnel.

The other two are in remote locations along the edges of woods but both are near corn fields. Seems the one by the beans is getting hit the hardest. Haven't checked one property as we only have one camera hung. We are trying to stay out of there as much as possible. Outside of tractors working the ground and planting beans there has been minimal traffic from us. Might jump out of the tractor to pick some rocks or move a downed tree limb, but really have been trying to keep pressure to a minimum.

Not sure if coincidence or what, but the mineral licks by the corn fields have only produced does. No bucks have shown themselves on these two properties. In all fairness, these two properties are not normally known for producing a ton of buck pictures. If any, you might catch a young buck or snag a big boy during the rut on camera.

If I had to speculate, I would guess it is a food source issue more than anything. Is there a water source close to your mineral lick JB? If not, this might explain it too. I have seen the most deer in the beans close to water lately. Gee, what a surprise. lol

 

[jagermeister]

If I had to speculate, I would guess it is a food source issue more than anything. Is there a water source close to your mineral lick JB? If not, this might explain it too. I have seen the most deer in the beans close to water lately. Gee, what a surprise. lol

Yep, they are both fairly close to a water source. By what I'm hearing here, I think you're probably right that it's mostly a food source issue. I guess time will tell. Maybe next time I go back out to check cams I'll try refreshing the minerals. How often do you guys refresh minerals with a custom mix? When I started these, I used a large coffee can to scoop an mix the minerals... One can = one part of the mix... So each site was started with enough mix to fill half of a 5 gallon bucket.

 

[hickslawns]

If we put minerals out in March and get normal rains, then by late April/early May is when I refreshed them last year. Last year was the first year using them though. I am probably not the best one to answer this. I am guessing Jesse or Monster Raxx will have a better answer.

I had a 50lb bag and started one new mineral site, and refreshed two from last year. I would guess that you added 1/4-1/3 of a 50lb bag?

Not knowing your area, and not trying to sound like an expert, my gut tells me it is food source.

I do have beans on some neighboring properties I had not thought about. As the crow flies it is probably only a few hundred yards. In all reality, I have beans, corn, and water within 1/8-1/4 mile of all three sites. The one site with all the buck pics is a dynamite funnel between a creek, two blocks of woods, and corn/bean fields.

 

[bowhunter1023]

I try to get my minerals out so that I can take advantage of a few good rains before the summer hits hard. I also try to make sure that I create the lick such that it will almost collect water, which helps the minerals leach in to the ground. I usually have my minerals out by mid-April and refresh again at the end of May. After that, I may add some mid-July, but never more than 5 pounds of so. Just enough to make that top layer of soil tasty again...

 

[jagermeister]

I try to get my minerals out so that I can take advantage of a few good rains before the summer hits hard. I also try to make sure that I create the lick such that it will almost collect water, which helps the minerals leach in to the ground. I usually have my minerals out by mid-April and refresh again at the end of May. After that, I may add some mid-July, but never more than 5 pounds of so. Just enough to make that top layer of soil tasty again...

Thanks for the info buddy. Sounds like I didn't do anything wrong then with my setup. Here in a couple weeks I'll refresh the sites... I have to put this Monster Raxx mineral out for a test run anyway.

 

[Monster Raxx]

I used to do the same thing as Jesse. Start in April and freshen a couple times. The last couple of years I have made sure I have minerals sites going year round. They hit them the hardest from April to the end of summer. The does and fawns are hitting them year round, the bucks do not hit them during the rut at all, but we have shot some nice bucks the last couple years coming in to scent check for does during the rut because they know they will be there. After the rut and the bucks are really wore down they are back into our mineral sites and hit them during the winter. If there is no minerals available the deer will use what they need from their skeletal system since they are in survival mode. In the spring when the does are starting to lactate and the bucks are starting to develop their antlers if they used up any reserves from their skeletal system the first thing that will happen is to replace what they used up during the winter. If they were able to get minerals during the winter and do not have to replace anything then those minerals can get put to use right away. Their will be more for fawns that are nursing and it can go right upstairs for the bucks. I lived through a few Ohio winters and know first hand they can really suck, but here in Minnesota the extreme cold can really be a problem for the deer. I try to do any thing I can to help make it a little easier for them.