Mineral blocks

[bobcat]

It seems that just a few years ago, no lures of any kind were alowed for deer, though I see in this year's pamphlet it's allowed. Anyone remember what year this changed?

It's never been not allowed. At least as far back as I can remember, which would be to about the mid 80's.

[Dman]

 I'll take your word for it - don't have old regs that far back. I can just remember getting rotten hell from my uncle for wearing a cover scent -I'm kind of smelly.

[bowhuntin]

I have always understood baiting deer and elk as legal as it has never said it was illegal. Although I do not hunt this way. For salt licks I don't know why you are so concerned with this boneaddict because I would think most people put it in an isolated area like on a trail or they might pick it up after they are done with it. Plus it would take a lot of rain or snow to dissolve this into the soil. Though I have never seen what you are talking about, I don't think it is much of a concern as your conservationist side insists.

[boneaddict]

Trust me.  Its devastating.  I'll no doubt run across one or two sites and I'll photo shoot it for you.  Honestly whats a hole out in the woods, but when some *censored* puts it right in the middle of a trail or something because,ohhhhh here is a trail, and ohhhhh here is a deer track.....this must be a crossing.  I'm going to set up right here......or ohhhh, hear is a cute little meadow/opening  I can see nearly 50 yards here.......meadow now moonscape.   Just trying to be informative to those that might not know the affect of it.  I have never hunted over them, and most likely won't.  I do however toss those little rabbit blocks into my pocket to take to the game in the mountains.  They are so salt hungry in some areas where they damn near tackle you while pissing.  We usually pick an old rotten log near camp to take a piss on, they will eat the whole log.  I've got a picture of about 8 bucks doing that in the sawtooth, and another that came into camp to eat our saddle cinch along with 5 of his 4 point buddies.  I came barrelking out of the tent just in time to snap a phot of the smallest.  Trust me, if they are slat hungry enough to eat your piss, then enough salt will leach into the ground in an average rain from a block.

[Krusty]

Bone,

Your conservationalist side isn't taking natural wallows into account, you may not have a complete connection to cause and effect, without having first witnessed a block left behind.

I sat on the river the other day, and watched birds come and tear at the bank, eating clay, all day long.
This spot stood out from the surroundings as a "disaster area".

Also I know of a huge dust wallow used by deer and elk, that has a strip of saltpeter that forms as it dries each spring.
It's right in the middle of a lightning burned stand of pine trees, so it has a spectacular disaster scene feel to it.

This is not to say I don't agree with you, wholeheartedly, we should keep our impact to a minimum whenever we can.
Deer specific feeds and blocks are one way to help, the salt content is considerably lower, so that the time they are in place they leach less of it into the surroundings.

I've always thought feed corn would make a great fall attractant, it's ground up enough that everybody can eat some, bringing a buzz of all kinds of activity to an area.
I've never found anyone who can tell me if it's legal to plant indigenous food crops on public land, but food near water and bedding areas, would be a way better way to attract a large healthy animal (than salt).
And a way better long term "investment" in management, than a single animal harvested/culled.

My dad says waaaay back when, the State gave them a small packet of buckbrush seeds (or some other attractive food plant), with the aluminum deer tag that came with a hunting license.

Krusty

[boneaddict]

These weren't natural Krusty.  I've seen them too.  There is a nice one on the top of Harts pass that is a great one for goats.  Has been attracting them for decades.  I promise you, these are not natural wallows, moose licks, elk pissholes, grizzly bear tubs, bear wallows or anything to the like.  Pretty obvious when you see them, and yes there are often remnants of blocks, or have seen the block there in the past.  Take my advice as you will, like I said, really whats a big hole out in the woods.  I won't pretend that I am real sad when a road gets torn up(anybody seen this one up Bridge Creek?) or a meadow that is destroyed.....anybody seen this one up Buttermilk Meadows, or a trail destroyed, half way up to no tell um lake.. who cares, take your horse around it.  Like I said, my environmentalist side isn't very big, just be aware of your actions.  I'll try to rummage up those deer photos at the "Piss log".  I guess its me just trying to leave the woods without a whole bunch of man sign around.  Some like to put ribbons all over, and leave them behind.  Some hammer pie plates to trees, some leave their garbage, some carve initials in trees, some girdle trees with their horses, some let their horses dig man sized pits by pawing.  I try to leave it as I find it or better.  I thought there might be somebody else who might think that way on here, and not realize what a salt block will do. Definately don't mean to preach. 

[huntnfmly]

Hey bone,
I agree with you 100%.We need to leave the woods even better than when we got there.
jim

[jackelope]

so........i won't say where, but shank and i came across a salt block left behind while muzz hunting last year. there was a lot of damage to the ground around it. i didn't take any pics, not sure if it was because of the salt in the ground or from all the critters coming to it, and it was probably about half gone, but there was definitely a substantial  effect right around that block...ground was worn right down to dirt...no grass, saplings, nothing. good bad or indifferent.

[billythekidrock]

This thread is interesting to me, but also confusing. Over the years we have tried different mineral/salt blocks and have had very little activity around them, let alone any real disturbance to the area. Could it be that we are so close to the coast that they don't flock to salt?

[WDFW-SUX]

There is a little more to it than just putting them down on the westside. I have heard that same thing from a bunch of different guys. 

[jackelope]

I really don't know anything about them either other than the 2 run-ins i had were both on the east side. the blocks were both like a brick-red color.
i'm not into hunting with them or any of that bait-type-stuff...not my style.

[boneaddict]

We had a couple of salt hungry deer in camp.  They kept eating the ground where my girls went potty.  I grabbed a handful of salt and put it on a rock.  She spent a good portion of the next two days in camp.  Cute little snapper.  Made a great pet.

[boneaddict]

and one more

[Gamblin Guy]

Here's what they look like over time, two of the kids in this photo are mine.  This lick gets bigger every year, looks like a moon crater.  They used to run cattle and sheep in this area, talking to the game warden he said it was probably and old lick from the sheep herders of days gone by.  The hole in the middle gets deeper every year.

[boneaddict]

Thats exactly what I was trying to describe.  Thanks for psting the pic.