Creating a destination for deer & elk

[Band]

I'd like to enhance my trail cam pic opportunities this year by creating a destination for the animals.  I see a 50 lb. trace mineral with selenium block on sale for $8.49.  Would that be a good choice to attract the animals?  Are there better options?  I guess I'm concerned that having a big block on the ground out in the woods would attract undue attention for someone who might be intent in finding my trail cam to rip it off.  I don't want that to happen again.  What do you guys use?

[BIGDOG253]

I have used a 50 lb. bag of trace mineral with selenium. The elk and deer loved it and got tons of pics.

If you are worried about people seeing the block and taking your cam, don't get the block and get the bag minerals and dump it all over the ground. 

[Band]

Good input, thanks!

[Bean Counter]

If there's even a chance of the cam getting ripped off, I'm using at least my python lock and preferably drilling a long screw through the metal box, into the tree, and then enclosing it with a padlock.

On my last elk hunt I was amazed at all the trusting people out there. I came across several others' cameras and none of them were secured nor locked, which of course I left alone because I'm such a nice guy  Even cheesed for the camera a few times 

I don't know if they can smell the salt or not but one strategy I've employed is to use a bag first, spreading it wide and shallow across an area. Giving me more coverage to attract elk to the area. Then, If I like the results and decide to keep the camera there I put a block down as it does last longer. Be sure you're going to the hillbilly feed store and not Cabelas/SW as its much, much cheaper at the former.

[vandeman17]

Trace salt with selenium is the best route to go. It will actually seep into the dirt and create a mineral site that they will come to for years. I use granular salt and pour some into old stumps, logs etc along with kicking up and mixing it into the dirt. By the time I am done, it's hard to tell I was even there but I don't worry about it because if the animals find it, it will become pretty obvious. One spot I have when I first put salt down it was a grassy area and after the elk hit it, there wasn't a speck of vegetation in probably a 30' by 30' area.

[nwwanderer]

Jut use the loose type not the block, Northwest beef from Wolfkill is a better choice than just salt/selenium.  The loose is better utilized and not packed off by bears or stolen by two legged predators.  Quite a bit of excavation can take place so pick your site with that in mind.

[jackelope]

If you're on the west side, don't expect a lot of attention paid to your salt. It doesn't work as well on this side of the hill.

[fishnfur]

 
Not only that, it basically kills/sterilizes the soil where it is put down - at least for several or many years.  Trees wont grow there anymore.  Perhaps that's why the vegetation was all gone on one of the posts above - not just the elk eating everything in the area,  the alt concentrations are too high for plants to tolerate it. 

I recommend putting some thought into the location for the salt, so it will do as little harm to the area as possible.

[Bango skank]

If its not too hard to pack in a few 50lb bags of the trace mineral salt do it.  I dig a hole, dump some in, put the dirt back and mix it up, then dump more salt on top.  For areas that are a real pain to hike to i just carry one or two of the little 4lb equine mineral licks and bring another each time i check the cam until there are enough built up to last a good while.  Theyre easy to pack and only $4.  Ive noticed that mineral sites become more popular after a year or two of being established.  More animals have had time to find them, and the little baby critters that were following mama to the minerals remember where they are.