[bernie]

I have tried using mineral licks for whitetails on my hunting property and have never had any luck whatsoever. I cannot even get the deer to use them. I have never tried to put them out earlier than september, so that may partially be the problem. I may start trying to put them out in april or may this year and see if it helps. Also, does anybody have a particular brand or way that seems to work? Thanks for the input.

[Smoke]

Better than mineral blocks are the "syrup Blocks" and or plain salt.

Deer have devistated teh blocks I put out for my cows. Had to change my feeding methods.

[Byron Quick]

My stepfather used to get some type of powder that he would mix with water and pour the resulting solution out on the ground. After three or four years of pouring this stuff in the same place...the deer had dug a hole three foot in diameter and over two feet deep licking the ground. He never would tell me what it was.

[Delmar]

I would agree with Smoke. Although I'm not much on the salt licks and that kind of thing, the syrup blocks or what I call "sweet blocks" is akin to giving the keys of the candy store to a 5 year old! A good old bag of corn still works as well as anything too.

[Sunray]

"...I have never tried to put them out earlier than september(sic)..." Has to be out there all the time, not just as bait in the fall. Putting out a salt lick and hunting over it is illegal in some places. Either way, it has to be there all year or the deer won't bother or know to come looking for it. Especially if there's a nice farm close by that puts out salt and a big bale of hay.

[redneck]

Just go to a farm supply store (have a TSC nearby?) and get a 50lb salt or mineral block to leave out year round. They're not all that expensive. Probably the same thing as the more expensive stuff geared towards deer hunters, just a different name.

[MeekandMild]

I've looked at the commercial deer attractants and saw they have various sodium compounds. They are markedly more expensive than plain old salt blocks and not all brands have the other minerals deer need. In the past when I have put out salt I used mineral blocks like you use for cows. If you want to dissolve them quicker they can be broken up with a sledgehammer. Good time to put them out is the day after the end of deer season, then they'll be dissolved by opening day.

[scotjute]

I'm using same mineral block (red colored) that's for cows. The deer found it almost immediately and make regular visits to it (location is north Louisiana). I leave it out year round and have another spare waiting to replace it. I may try to leave out a bale or two of alfafa for them next year under an adjacent barn. I don't actually hunt off it. Its there as more as a service to the deer than anything.

[Mover]

Try Soda Ash. You can get it at Farm Supply store, CO-OP etc. I got it in 40 lb. bags. Just dump a bag out in a pile, let the rain dissolve it. The deer will find it pretty quick. It works ! ! Also, no evidence that you've baited that spot.... other than the hole the deer will dig there.