Deer and salt lick

Have you ever wondered why deer hammer mineral licks in the warm-weather months more than any other time of year? Deer, during this time of year, are actively searching for it. This is also why mineral licks make excellent trail camera spots in the summer. Studies show that there are about 11 minerals in deer antlers. Many of these minerals only make up a fraction of a percent of the antler. The two main minerals found in hardened deer antlers are calcium and phosphorous.

A mineral lick also known as a salt lick is a place where animals can go to lick essential mineral nutrients from a deposit of salts and other minerals. Mineral licks can be naturally occurring or artificial such as blocks of salt that farmers place in pastures for livestock to lick. Natural licks are common, and they provide essential elements such as phosphorus and the biometals sodium , calcium , iron , zinc , and trace elements required in the springtime for bone , muscle and other growth in deer and other wildlife, such as moose , elephants , tapirs , cattle , woodchucks , domestic sheep , fox squirrels , mountain goats and porcupines. Such licks are especially important in ecosystems with poor general availability of nutrients. Harsh weather exposes salty mineral deposits that draw animals from miles away for a taste of needed nutrients. It is thought that certain fauna can detect calcium in salt licks.

University Park, Pa. It actually is past time, noted David Wolfgang, extension veterinarian and field studies director in veterinary and biomedical sciences. There is no disagreement about that. The Board of Game Commissioners in the past has outlawed the feeding of bears and elk in the state, so there is precedent for banning the feeding of deer, Wolfgang pointed out.

It seems you can walk into just about any store selling outdoor products or farm equipment and find some sort of new-aged deer attractant and minerals that are designed to grow big bucks fast. How whitetails utilize there minerals is wildly misinterpreted and can quickly lead to unsatisfactory results due to unreasonable expectations. This is why it is important to understand what these minerals actually do, and the proper ways to implement them into your management.