The big ones ya or na? What amount of protein for deer? Buddy has a place in MO that he just cleared for food plots he’d like to add mineral blocks to the plots he figured the big ones would be less maintenance.

I see some say the deer won’t go for it the next guy said they work the tubs so it’s confusing. It seems if they work the smaller blocks no problem they should hit the bigger ones unless they are a different make up.

I could see bucks not wanting to put their head in the tub but I would think doe’s would.

The mineral blocks I’ve seen will rot in humid weather or rain. And I mean stink maggot rot. If you’re talking those brown licks, I’d just go with salt licks and plant or fertilize natural protein plants. Right now and until Spring they don’t hit on any of those down here. I put out peanuts from Dec-Sept, gives them all the protein they need.

This is Kent feeds deer mineral blocks they have 14 percent protein you could cross it to one of their tubs, here the tubs can take a lot rain.

https://kentfeeds.com/product/trophy-image-deer-elk-block/

No food/grain allowed but salt/minerals are OK from what I’ve been told.

I’d flip the tub over to make mineral lick area and remove the tub from the area that was my thought.

They hammer the smaller blocks now no problem just not sure what options of tub makeup is out there.

Plenty of food here in MO. Just get a salt or salt/mineral block (50 pounders). If you are talking the protein/grain based tubs they would probably be illegal during season.

That may work where y’all live but down here it will be covered in maggots in 2 weeks tops, lol. I’ve tried them…don’t work.
Maybe our deer just have more food. Salt licks put out during the early Spring will have them digging a hole for it by late Summer. The brown mineral blocks cost more but all they want out of those is the salt anyways.

This Mineral Lick works like nothing else that I have tryed. The deer just love it.

The ultimate goal of mineral supplements in deer management is to increase antler size and improve overall health of deer herds by providing minerals or trace minerals that may be lacking in a given area.

Although the jury is still out on effects of mineral supplements on wild deer populations since most studies have been on pen raised deer. Studies on wild population have been inconclusive and to a degree the same on pen raised deer due to other variables such as supplemental feeding that takes place in these areas. The direct benefits will probably be far greater in certain regions that lack certain trace minerals in the soil and plants.

One mixture or home recipe of deer minerals we recommend to landowners is a mix of one part Dicalcium Phosphate, 2 parts trace mineral salt (loose), and 1 part loose stock salt. All of these are available to purchase at most local feed and farm supply stores.

Just to give you a little background on these minerals and what they are designed to do lets start with the Dicalcium Phosphate



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.

You're probably asking why this is important by now. Well if your talking about growing antlers on deer you need to take a look at what is the make up of a deer antler.

Hardened antlers contain 40 to 50 percent organic matter from mostly proteins while the most abundant minerals consist of calcium and phosphorus. The demands for these minerals on a daily basis can be significant for antler production.

In addition, a lactating doe's milk contains high percentages of both calcium and phosphorus to pass on to their young, also causing a significant mineral drain on the doe. What makes all this significant is the fact that phosphorous cannot be synthesized by the body so it must be provided in needed levels in the animals diet. This is where a mineral mix such as this could be very valuable if an area is lacking in these naturally.

I’ll need to go over the ingredient label to be sure it’s legal before I put it out. The area has a good deep population just no size to the racks about every one is a basket rack.

Seen a lot of deer there have a bunch on cams but not a shooter in the bunch yet.

In an emergency starvation situation, a 330 conibear and mineral tub trained deer would be a good combination.

Keith

I use Purina EquiTub the deer love it and it seem to really help them. I also spray ivmec over piles of corn.

You can fit the innards from 3 deer in a mineral tube but it gets heavy and slops out a bit when you are driving to the bait pile so I stop at 2.

The $7.99 brown trace mineral blocks work great. 50lb. Can sometimes catch on sale for $5.99

I have used the Kelly Harris mineral recipe from Bowsite for years. Works well, Buy a 50 lb bag of molasses at the feed mill.
I always buy a 50 lb bag of dicalcium phosphate, a 50 lb bag of trace mineral salt, a bag of powdered molasses. I dig a 3-foot hole wide and about 18 inches deep. I chop up the dirt really well, shovel in the ingredients with dirt 1 shovel full at a time. I mix it up really well and keep doing it until the hole is filled back up. Optional stock salt

My brother in law's wife had a tiny, ancient toy poodle which was sick as a horse. The vet suggested giving it dicalcium phosphate. He said that the prescription was kind of pricey, but he said that you can buy a 40 pound bag pretty cheap and just use some of that. He did just that and the old dog got better and he had 39 pounds 14 ounces leftover to get rid of. He poured it on an old, half rotten stump. A month later, the stump was completely gone as well as a bunch of soil. He said it looked like somebody had brought in a backhoe to dig out the stump.

Sounds like the #50 trace mineral blocks will be the safest to use and avoid problems. My buddies place has a lot of deer but they have no destination on his place so these food plots should be a game changer I’m hoping.

What county?

Any place to scatter some forage turnip seed?

Benton Co he just had it cleared for food plots in a few places I sent him a bag of No Plow he’s picking up fertilizer, beets and clover to plant.

In my opinion, the N/S dividing line for big frame / big rack deer in MO is Highway 50, which also happens to be where farmland suitable for corn and soybeans fizzles out. Benton Co being on the north end of south MO, so depending on farm, there is hope. Unless habitat is already there, isolated food plots and mineral supplements by themselves will be hard pressed to grow them bigger, but should draw in what there is and concentrate them and in abundance.

Was running a brush hog yesterday, hacking a shooting lane thru a going back 4 acre patch of trees, briars and brush. 20 acres of standing corn on one side. Half acre pond on the other. wooded draw below that draining to about 50 acres of creek bottom timber. One pass, down and back. As I emerged on the back pass, looked back to see 4 or 5 deer standing in just opened up opening about 200 yards away. Somewhere in there I went past half gone salt and mineral blocks somebody had left on the ground (wasn't me). Ground around those pawed out to bare dirt. That place about 10 miles N of MO River. Same conditions exist for 50 miles in any direction.

Guy couldn't put some meat in the freezer there he needs to go vegan or buy it.

I’ve used this for years and the deer are into it every year. I refresh them once or twice a year