# Salt Licks



## neo71665 (Jul 26, 2007)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt_lick

A salt lick is a salt deposit that animals regularly lick. In an ecosystem, salt/mineral licks often occur naturally, providing the sodium, calcium, iron, phosphorus and zinc required in the springtime for bone, muscle and other growth in deer and other wildlife, such as moose, elephants, cattle, woodchucks, domestic sheep, fox squirrels, mountain goats and porcupines. Harsh weather exposes salty mineral deposits that draw animals from miles away for a taste of needed nutrients.


You can put it out for them or they will find a natural one. Distance to water doesn't matter in nature either.


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## bowhuntr311 (May 20, 2009)

most definatly put them out. Most whitetail areas are salt deficiant.

water doesnt matter, deer will travel to find water.


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## FORCE43 (Feb 20, 2009)

They will keep coming around licking & eating the dirt long after it's gone


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## oldschoolcj5 (Jun 8, 2009)

yes, put them out ... however, like the previous poster said - they will lick and bite and scrape the ground long after the salt/mineral block is gone, so don't put it where you can't afford to have a hole in the ground.


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## klemsontigers7 (Jul 1, 2008)

From my experience, salt licks get used more if they are close to water. One summer we made 4, all in the same 500 acre plot of land. 2 of the were within 40 yards of water, and they got hammered. I'll try and find pics, but one of them ended up getting about 3 feet deep, and I had trail cam pictures of deer doing all they could to get to the bottom of it. The other 2 were hundreds of yards from water, and they hardly had any activity, if any at all. Just a thought... but if you don't have any water close by it's still worth a shot.


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## CareyHamil (Oct 4, 2005)

klemsontigers7 said:


> From my experience, salt licks get used more if they are close to water. One summer we made 4, all in the same 500 acre plot of land. 2 of the were within 40 yards of water, and they got hammered. I'll try and find pics, but one of them ended up getting about 3 feet deep, and I had trail cam pictures of deer doing all they could to get to the bottom of it. The other 2 were hundreds of yards from water, and they hardly had any activity, if any at all. Just a thought... but if you don't have any water close by it's still worth a shot.


This may be contributed to deer density/frequency in those area rather than the salts proxmity to water. IMO


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## dmdshooter (Jun 3, 2007)

Trace mineral salt, you can buy it from any feed store and is like $8 for a 50 lb bag. It is all natural, basically a trophy rock in granuals (it's brownish in color) and a lot cheaper than stuff you buy elsewhere!

Fill a 20 oz bottle 1/2 water and 1/2 trace mineral salt. Shake well and take it with you and pour it on the ground where you don't mind a huge hole! The water will help it soak into the ground. You don' t have to use much. This has worked better for us than ANY of other "products". I only apply it about once a month, if that, unless we get a lot of rain...We have 4 spots that we use it and we still have 40 lbs left of it, and all the spots look like this

this "hole" started as small scrape started with the heel of my boot in July... I's still going strong!


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## klemsontigers7 (Jul 1, 2008)

hambini said:


> This may be contributed to deer density/frequency in those area rather than the salts proxmity to water. IMO



Not the case... but you do it your way... I'll do it mine.


This salt lick is just 1 year old in the pictures.


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## goathollow (Jun 18, 2008)

I prefer to pour the salt granules right on top of a stump (as opposed to disolving it in water first). I use as stump that is a few years old but a suppose a freshly cut tree will work too. The salt gradually disolves and much of it soaks into the stump and surrounding dirt. I have also made them by just pouring the salt directly on the ground but I don't care for the big hole in the ground. I think that is more my preference becuase as several other posters have noted the deer certainly don't mind eating the dirt either.

I will say that we have historically put the salt licks in the center of our property rather than around the fringes. We use the salt licks to draw deer in to the middle of the property if that makes sense.


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## bowhunter12791 (Oct 12, 2009)

Thanks guys. I thought it was worth the shot. All i bought was a couple salt blocks, might just crush them up and dump them out with some water.. I have a couple good spots in mind! Thanks


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## oldschoolcj5 (Jun 8, 2009)

you might look at this thread too ... instead of just salt, build a "complete" mineral lick ... just a thought

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=920533


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## dmdshooter (Jun 3, 2007)

after you use up your salt blocks, try some of the trace mineral salt, I think you might see some better results...shoot go buy a bag and try it seperatley and see if you see a difference, I saw a huge difference. plus you will spend only 8 bucks for something that will last numerous seasons!


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## wellingtontx (Jun 8, 2010)

Go to Tractor Supply or your feed store and pick up some Dumar Spring Mineral mix, it is a loose mineral that works well for just dumping on the ground.


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## dmcclure (Jun 26, 2010)

*Salt licks*

Alot of you are correct in the matter of Salt licking sites. Not to act as a expert, but My licks are very busy. you may try it if you like. Just wanted to share my thoughts. 
I use a large area near water. Water is important, since they will search for it when done. I use a 3/4 inch iron bar and poke holes in the ground, about 18 inches or so. I then pour the salt into the hole then lightly cover the surface ground. I did this 2 years ago and hadn't re-salted since. I have pictures of many animals using the site. It looks like a large explosion took place. By using the holes I have had little to no maintenance. anyway there it is from me to you. good luck!


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## bowhunter12791 (Oct 12, 2009)

I just had a salt block laying around so i crushed it in pieces, dug out a spot prolly 4x4 in the intersection of some trails, dumped the crushed pieces and dumped some flavored "instant mineral lick" all together i had $9 in it and about 30 min of time. overall pretty happy with it, hopefull it will produce some pics.


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## klemsontigers7 (Jul 1, 2008)

dmcclure said:


> Alot of you are correct in the matter of Salt licking sites. Not to act as a expert, but My licks are very busy. you may try it if you like. Just wanted to share my thoughts.
> I use a large area near water. Water is important, since they will search for it when done. I use a 3/4 inch iron bar and poke holes in the ground, about 18 inches or so. I then pour the salt into the hole then lightly cover the surface ground. I did this 2 years ago and hadn't re-salted since. I have pictures of many animals using the site. It looks like a large explosion took place. By using the holes I have had little to no maintenance. anyway there it is from me to you. good luck!


We thought about using the pipe idea out west... it has a lot to do with what kind of soil you have. Here in the southeast we have red clay, and getting down that deep isn't necessary. We don't have success by trying to make the same kind of salt lick out west (Colorado) so we had thought about either driving pipes like you said, or by drilling down and filling the holes with salt.


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## dxtbowhuntersj (May 8, 2008)

some horses started pawing the ground 15 years ago and we started putting salt in the 6 inch hole now it is 6 feet around, the deer have done it.


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## RJPOUTDOORS (Jun 2, 2009)

I went today with my son and we put more salt in our licks due to the lac to rain. However, we found the deer are tearing them apart and there was moist spots in the middle of the licks. I mostly use regular salt and the deer come to it year around.


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## FiveOarcher (Sep 21, 2006)

*mineral/salt*

We used to put out a mix with salt and other minerals that I picked up at our local feed store but due to the ban on "baiting" in MI I havent been able to put them out in the past 2 years.  wish I could.


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## tpcollins (Aug 3, 2007)

I just go get a bag of water softner salt and dump it on the ground in the spring. The rains melt it into the ground and the deer will continue to use it all year. 

Years ago I had worked a spot for about 4-5 years and the spot widened to about 8' across and a foot deep! It was also located at a pinch point in the woods.


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## tjones96761 (Apr 10, 2010)

I use the QDMA recipe with Dical, trace and stock, but same principal as what you guys are doing. when i start a new spot i dump liquid molasses on it to get the deer coming to it, then just redo the mineral without molasses the following years.
I've had some duds with no explanation at all. they'll hit some till the molasses is gone then never come back. other spots get hit year after year. haven't been able to determine a common denominator.


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## Noc-Buster (Jun 9, 2010)

I have heard that salt licks/blocks will increase the cycle in rabbits, they will have a second or even a third litter. Is that true?


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## Struttinhoyt88 (Jul 3, 2008)

I have heard that the yellow colored salt blocks have some sulphur content to them or something which helps keep the mosquitos off of them.... But salt licks work..... Period.....


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## whack&stack (Oct 15, 2007)

tjones96761 said:


> I use the QDMA recipe with Dical, trace and stock, but same principal as what you guys are doing. when i start a new spot i dump liquid molasses on it to get the deer coming to it, then just redo the mineral without molasses the following years.
> I've had some duds with no explanation at all. they'll hit some till the molasses is gone then never come back. other spots get hit year after year. haven't been able to determine a common denominator.



+1 some here used the same mixture u are talking about i used it in wv and ohio and they tore it up in 2 out of 4 locations in wv and 0 of 2 in ohio but they will wear a trophy rock out in ohio i havent been able to determine what makes this so


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## Struttinhoyt88 (Jul 3, 2008)

whack&stack said:


> +1 some here used the same mixture u are talking about i used it in wv and ohio and they tore it up in 2 out of 4 locations in wv and 0 of 2 in ohio but they will wear a trophy rock out in ohio i havent been able to determine what makes this so



I think that areas that do better than others as far as minerals goes, Is because different areas have more minerals in the ground and the deer don't pay as much attention to needing it....

Thats what I think anyways....


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## shec6135 (Jan 2, 2010)

it's funny you say that b/c i was really starting to think that my neighbor must have been trespassing AND getting sticky fingers... i went through a trophy rock already just from spring and am on my second...



whack&stack said:


> +1 some here used the same mixture u are talking about i used it in wv and ohio and they tore it up in 2 out of 4 locations in wv and 0 of 2 in ohio but they will wear a trophy rock out in ohio i havent been able to determine what makes this so


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## GlennMac (Oct 21, 2006)

Does anyone know if pigs would be attracted to a salt lick ?


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## oldschoolcj5 (Jun 8, 2009)

GlennMac said:


> Does anyone know if pigs would be attracted to a salt lick ?


don't know it for a fact, but i bet it would. Salt licks attract just about any animal.


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## ManOfKnight (Mar 5, 2009)

GlennMac said:


> Does anyone know if pigs would be attracted to a salt lick ?


I don't think hog's can handle extra salt in their diet. While they might eat the salt lick, I think it is bad for them. I have read a few places it has to do with the lack of or small amount of perspiration and the retaining of water due to the salt. There are attractants and licks for hogs out there that do not contain salt.


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## oldschoolcj5 (Jun 8, 2009)

good to know - sounds like I was WRONG.


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## oldschoolcj5 (Jun 8, 2009)

*hogs and salt*

another post i stumbled across related to hogs ... might be worth reading 
http://www.wildboarclub.com/tactics/jwtactics1.htm


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## arahoyt (Aug 17, 2006)

tjones96761 said:


> I use the QDMA recipe with Dical, trace and stock, but same principal as what you guys are doing. when i start a new spot i dump liquid molasses on it to get the deer coming to it, then just redo the mineral without molasses the following years.
> I've had some duds with no explanation at all. they'll hit some till the molasses is gone then never come back. other spots get hit year after year. haven't been able to determine a common denominator.


I just mixed up a couple with this recipe. My uncle turned me onto it, he said that he gets more hits on his deercams on the licks than he does on the cornfeeders.


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