Views on minerals

[HunterofWA]

Has anyone used trophy rock?

[Rainier10]

I think I'd use that for trail cam surveys. What I'm really wondering is if the Red edge goat mineral would work. Like if it can be poured on the ground, is is safe for the deer...

I personally wouldn't spend $17.99 on a 25 pound bag of something that might work when I can get a 50 pound bag of trace mineral salt with selenium for $9 that I can personally guarantee works better than probably pretty much anything. The only thing I've found is that their effectiveness is a little bit based on geography. I don't think the salts and minerals work as well on the west side of the state.

The thing that gets me interested in it is that it contains about 4.00% calcium... which promotes antler growth.

If you want something that promotes antler growth get 40lb bag of Purina antler max for $16.  I have been putting it out at my place for the past couple of years and have noticed a big difference. I go through a bag a week, 15 bags a spring/summer so it gets expensive but what can you do.

Are you using it on black-tails?

I am using the muledeer version in eastern Washington, the elk love it as well.  I get does, fawns, cows and calves in as well.

[jackelope]

I think I'd use that for trail cam surveys. What I'm really wondering is if the Red edge goat mineral would work. Like if it can be poured on the ground, is is safe for the deer...

I personally wouldn't spend $17.99 on a 25 pound bag of something that might work when I can get a 50 pound bag of trace mineral salt with selenium for $9 that I can personally guarantee works better than probably pretty much anything. The only thing I've found is that their effectiveness is a little bit based on geography. I don't think the salts and minerals work as well on the west side of the state.

The thing that gets me interested in it is that it contains about 4.00% calcium... which promotes antler growth.

If you want something that promotes antler growth get 40lb bag of Purina antler max for $16.  I have been putting it out at my place for the past couple of years and have noticed a big difference. I go through a bag a week, 15 bags a spring/summer so it gets expensive but what can you do.

Are you using it on black-tails?

I will almost guarantee you that lots of other things will work better than salt and minerals in Western Washington. The soils are a lot more salt and mineral rich on this side than the dry side. The animals don't crave it much over here.  Over there, they'll dig craters in the ground to get the minerals that have leeched into the soil. I haven't seen my camera sites in a couple years now, but I'll bet there are holes in the ground where that salt was dumped.
I have a couple cameras in the Gifford Pinchot that have been out and unchecked since last August. It will be interesting to see what is on those cards. Nothing in front of the cameras but trace mineral salt w/ the selenium.

[fish vacuum]

I will almost guarantee you that lots of other things will work better than salt and minerals in Western Washington. The soils are a lot more salt and mineral rich on this side than the dry side. The animals don't crave it much over here.

This. Blacktails will hit the flavored liquid stuff much more than salt and mineral blocks. Yes, the blocks work. Just not as well.

[HunterofWA]

Does anyone know how much calcium American stockman trace mineral salt has in it?
https://www.farmstore.com/product/trace-mineral-loose-salt-with-selenium-90-50-lb/

[HunterofWA]

The reason I want to get more calcium and minerals out to the deer herd is because my average buck is the small one with an occasional big one like the one below.

[buglebrush]

Selenium salt

Those are some awesome bulls!

[HunterofWA]

So does anybody no how much calcium is in this: https://www.farmstore.com/product/trace-mineral-loose-salt-50-lb/

Do you think it's a good choice? what I think I'll do is scratch up the ground, pour out about 20lbs of salt, and then place a trophy rock right in the middle. How does that sound? The reason I want to know how much calcium there is in the American Stockman big 6 trace mineral salt, is because I want to provide the deer an extra punch of calcium for the bucks.
Thanks!
Jeremy

[Bango skank]

Seems like you have some unrealistic expectations as far as being able to get a bigger class of bucks by putting down the "right" mineral.  Youre really not going to see a noticable increase in antlers.  If you want bigger racked bucks, they need to get older.  Really just put down some trace mineralized selenium salt.  A little extra calcium isnt going to perform a magic trick on the antlers.

[HunterofWA]

Thanks for all your answers and suggestions guys! I think I've got the idea now so you don't have to respond to this forum anymore.

[WSU]

I got zero response to mineral salt on deer around Olympia. The local elk ignored it too. I literally had both on the trail cam walking over the pile and it remained untouched.

[Wacenturion]

I have put a couple Trophy Rocks out on my property in eastern Washington and the animals do use them.

[WSU]

I've put the same stuff out in eastern Washington and the deer went crazy.

[jackelope]

I was told that the soil is rich in minerals and salt on the westside due to it's proximity to salt water and that's why the animals don't flock to it like they do over east. I don't know if that's actually the reason, but they definitely don't hit the salt over here like they do over east. I've had thousands of pictures over a month period on a camera over there, and the same salt on the ground over here will yield 20 pictures. I think apples and such is where it's at for the westside.
 

[dadeo316]

Has anyone used trophy rock?

Yes! Used one in front of my trail cam until it got stolen along with my treestand.  The rock appealed to everything from deer to mama bear with cubs and even a coyote.  The salt seems to melt into the ground too.  Even when the rock was gone the deer would come in and scrape the ground. 

Sent from my LG-H811 using Tapatalk