All right, so now you know what the benefits are of supplementing minerals to deer but you may be wondering how to make a site.
1. Find a general location
First thing you are going to need to do is find a location that deer frequent. What I mean by this is find a place that deer activily use throughout the week, such as near a water source, feeding area etc...
You want to make sure you've found a spot that gets frequented throughout the week consistantly and has a good amount of brush and cover to make sure the critters feel comfortable in that area during the day.
2. look for a tree for your game cam
Although this may sound silly, there are many instances where I have dumped out some mineral or attractant and overlooked the very important detail of where to place the cam. Because of this, I have had to improvise causing the pictures to not turn out as well.
To prevent this, I always put my camera up first, and then make a mineral lick.
3. Putting out the mineral
Now that you've got your spot picked out and you have the cam up, it's time to make your mineral lick.
Now there are many different places you can put you mineral site on. I prefer a stump, but I have a site that is just on top of the dirt as well. It really depends on your personal preference. I like the stump better because as the stump decomposes, the deer will be able to consume the salt enriched rotting material. If you put it on the soil directly, most of the salt and mineral will leach in to the ground and may make the deer less interested in it if it isn't easily accessible to them.
Since I use both, I'll explain both situations.
When putting mineral on a stump it is important to make sure the wood is rotten enough to hold together for a couple more years but still not be too hard as to not absorb the mineral. Typically I'll scrape the ground surrounding the stump and pour a little around it.
When you make a mineral lick directly on the soil, it's important to pick a spot that won't wash away the salt, and is not sandy so that the mineral doesn't leach down fast as it typically does in sandier soils. After you have found a spot like this, then pour about 5-10 lbs of your mineral over the location and mix it in a little.
Now that you know how to make a mineral lick you may be wondering what mineral to pick. Most commercial deer minerals work, but I would go with cattle mineral over most deer mineral. First, cattle mineral has a higher content of mineral and since cattle and deer are both in the same general family. When you are picking a mineral, try not to pick a product that has a ppm of selenium that is higher than 10. The reason is selenium is toxic to deer if they have to much, and since it is already in the soil, they receive all they need from what they eat.
What I am using this year is American Stock-man Trace mineral loose salt. It has six minerals which help keep the overall health of the animal. Since it's only $10 for a 50 lb bag it is a lot cheaper than most other deer mineral and works just the same.
Now don't get me wrong here, I am not saying that deer mineral products are junk, just be wary. They may be selling you something you could pick up at you local feed store for way more than it's worth. One product I have tried with some decent success is Trophy Rock. It is mined in the US, completely natural and contains a little over 60 trace minerals that help improve over all deer health.
Well that's that! Thanks for reading,
-Jeremy
Monday, March 20, 2017
Thursday, March 9, 2017
Mineral licks, Myth or Truth?
Today I am going to talk specifically about mineral supplementation for black-tailed deer in particular.
Many hunters across the black-tails range have or are supplying some sort of mineral/salt lick for deer during the spring and summer just to get pics of the deer they want to shoot during up coming season. But salt or mineral licks do a lot more than just getting deer in front of your camera.
1. Deer need salt!
First off I'd like to make it clear that all deer across practically the whole world need salt. It's a fact. You may already know that from other hunters and research you have done but you may be wondering why? Why do deer use salt licks? Is it because they are craving minerals? or do they just like the taste of salt?
These are probably the most asked questions about mineral licks that I can think people ask regarding mineral licks. First off I'll explain why deer use salt. Deer drink about 2-3 quarts of water a day depending on weather circumstances. During the early spring and throughout the summer months deer consume a lot of native browse which contains a very high percentage of water. Since native browse during the growing season tends to be high in potassium, deer end up with a sodium deficiency. Deer need to have equal amounts of potassium and sodium (in the form of salt) to help their bodies function correctly. This is why salt intake tends to decrease during the winter because deer aren't consuming as much potassium rich forage.
Salt also plays a very important role in helping the kidneys of a deer be able to get rid of excess water that they take in through their daily consumption of forage. During the spring and summer, a deer's diet consists of forage with a very high water content due to the annual pattern of spring green up. During spring green up plants are growing rapidly to expand their foliage. During this time the new growth is young, tender, nutrient rich, and bursting with a large percentage of water content. Because of this, deer are very attracted to this high protein content forage. As you might expect, deer eat about 4-7 pounds of food a day. During the growing season, especially here in the Pacific North West, that amount of food is pretty easy for a deer to come by due to the amount of rain we receive in this part of the country. With all this food deer are receiving a lot of water and most of the time more than they actually need since they are also most likely drinking from a creek or other near by water source. This is where salt comes into the game. Deer need the salt to help their kidneys be able to get rid of that excess water. This process is hard to understand even for me so won't write out exactly how the process works but just make sure to walk away with this in mind: deer across the world need salt, whether it's from a natural salt lick, from the forage they eat, or from a man made mineral lick deer need salt!
2. Location, location, location!
Now that I have made it clear that deer need salt PLEASE don't run to the store and buy a whole bunch of expensive deer mineral and expect an amazing response from black-tails. Since Black-tailed deer live along the West coast, the soil is already relatively rich in minerals and salt. But if their was too much salt plants would not be able to grow like they do here. You may be wondering now, "So there's already salt in the ground so why on earth would I need to give it to the deer?" Well first off let me say the black-tails that live along the coastline require less salt then inland deer. You can try to get black-tails to eat salt on the coast but the likely hood of them using it is slim. Mineral/Salt supplements really depend on the needs of minerals and salt for the deer in your area. Here in the western side of Washington state, there's little lack in the availability of minerals through the forage deer consume. But salt is one mineral that may be the only one deer require in your area. You see, deer can get some sodium from the food they eat but in order to get all that they require, they will likely do better if given access to a mineral supplement.
2. Timing
The time you put out your salt licks is important. As I have said above, deer need the most salt during the spring and summer months depending on how much water content is in the food they eat and how much is in the soil already. If you live more inland off the coast you will most likely have some success with a mineral site for black-tails but never expect as much action as you would see for white-tailed deer.
If your mineral licks get use year round then that's great! Just remember if deer are using salt licks that shows they need it.
3. Overall benefits of mineral
One last benefit of using a salt lick is the minerals that are typically present in any mixture. Minerals are vital to deer for antler mineralization and fawn development. I will do another post on the benefits of mineral supplements in my next post and go into deeper detail on how to establish a mineral site specifically for black-tailed deer.
Thank you for reading this post! I hope you have a great day,
-Jeremy
Many hunters across the black-tails range have or are supplying some sort of mineral/salt lick for deer during the spring and summer just to get pics of the deer they want to shoot during up coming season. But salt or mineral licks do a lot more than just getting deer in front of your camera.
1. Deer need salt!
First off I'd like to make it clear that all deer across practically the whole world need salt. It's a fact. You may already know that from other hunters and research you have done but you may be wondering why? Why do deer use salt licks? Is it because they are craving minerals? or do they just like the taste of salt?
These are probably the most asked questions about mineral licks that I can think people ask regarding mineral licks. First off I'll explain why deer use salt. Deer drink about 2-3 quarts of water a day depending on weather circumstances. During the early spring and throughout the summer months deer consume a lot of native browse which contains a very high percentage of water. Since native browse during the growing season tends to be high in potassium, deer end up with a sodium deficiency. Deer need to have equal amounts of potassium and sodium (in the form of salt) to help their bodies function correctly. This is why salt intake tends to decrease during the winter because deer aren't consuming as much potassium rich forage.
Salt also plays a very important role in helping the kidneys of a deer be able to get rid of excess water that they take in through their daily consumption of forage. During the spring and summer, a deer's diet consists of forage with a very high water content due to the annual pattern of spring green up. During spring green up plants are growing rapidly to expand their foliage. During this time the new growth is young, tender, nutrient rich, and bursting with a large percentage of water content. Because of this, deer are very attracted to this high protein content forage. As you might expect, deer eat about 4-7 pounds of food a day. During the growing season, especially here in the Pacific North West, that amount of food is pretty easy for a deer to come by due to the amount of rain we receive in this part of the country. With all this food deer are receiving a lot of water and most of the time more than they actually need since they are also most likely drinking from a creek or other near by water source. This is where salt comes into the game. Deer need the salt to help their kidneys be able to get rid of that excess water. This process is hard to understand even for me so won't write out exactly how the process works but just make sure to walk away with this in mind: deer across the world need salt, whether it's from a natural salt lick, from the forage they eat, or from a man made mineral lick deer need salt!
2. Location, location, location!
Now that I have made it clear that deer need salt PLEASE don't run to the store and buy a whole bunch of expensive deer mineral and expect an amazing response from black-tails. Since Black-tailed deer live along the West coast, the soil is already relatively rich in minerals and salt. But if their was too much salt plants would not be able to grow like they do here. You may be wondering now, "So there's already salt in the ground so why on earth would I need to give it to the deer?" Well first off let me say the black-tails that live along the coastline require less salt then inland deer. You can try to get black-tails to eat salt on the coast but the likely hood of them using it is slim. Mineral/Salt supplements really depend on the needs of minerals and salt for the deer in your area. Here in the western side of Washington state, there's little lack in the availability of minerals through the forage deer consume. But salt is one mineral that may be the only one deer require in your area. You see, deer can get some sodium from the food they eat but in order to get all that they require, they will likely do better if given access to a mineral supplement.
2. Timing
The time you put out your salt licks is important. As I have said above, deer need the most salt during the spring and summer months depending on how much water content is in the food they eat and how much is in the soil already. If you live more inland off the coast you will most likely have some success with a mineral site for black-tails but never expect as much action as you would see for white-tailed deer.
If your mineral licks get use year round then that's great! Just remember if deer are using salt licks that shows they need it.
3. Overall benefits of mineral
One last benefit of using a salt lick is the minerals that are typically present in any mixture. Minerals are vital to deer for antler mineralization and fawn development. I will do another post on the benefits of mineral supplements in my next post and go into deeper detail on how to establish a mineral site specifically for black-tailed deer.
Thank you for reading this post! I hope you have a great day,
-Jeremy
Tuesday, January 17, 2017
Black-tailed deer attractants
Hey there again!
So this time I have a little different kind of post, I have come up with some recipes for home made black-tailed deer attractants so I would like to get some people to try them out and see how they do. You can let me know how they do via my you-tube channel or on the comments below.
Thanks!
-Jeremy
So this time I have a little different kind of post, I have come up with some recipes for home made black-tailed deer attractants so I would like to get some people to try them out and see how they do. You can let me know how they do via my you-tube channel or on the comments below.
Thanks!
-Jeremy
Black-tailed Deer attractants:
Winter snack bar:
Peanut butter- 3 tablespoons
Molasses- 1 tablespoons
Sugar- 3 tablespoons
Oats- 3- tablespoons
Cracked corn- ½ cup
Cinnamon powder- ½ teaspoon
Salt (Preservative)- 1 teaspoon
Directions:
Mix together, heat in the Microwave for 30 seconds to soften it up if needed, then freeze in a small rectangular tin pan, place out at a well used deer trail and fire up the trail cam.
Strawberry Jam:
Works great!
Directions:
Simply clear a small spot and pour and go!
Energy grain:
Ingredients:
Maple syrup- 1 1/2 cups
Molasses- 1 tablespoon
Oats- ½ cup
Rice- 2 tablespoons
Wheat- 2 tablespoons
Sugar- ½ cup
Vanilla- 1 teaspoon
Strawberry jam- 1 tablespoon
Peanut Butter- 2 tablespoons
Celery seed (Optional)- 1 teaspoon
Salt (Preservative)- 1-2 teaspoons
Directions:
Mix thoroughly, while trying not to breath on it so as to keep it free from human scent, and pour over logs or stumps.
*NOTE* These recipes have not been tested, so the actual guarantee of them working is uncertain. I have experimented with them and have had good results. Anybody willing to experiment with them would be much appreciated, honest experiences with these recipes are gladly welcome, the whole idea is to figure out some fun, cheap attractants that work for anybody.
If you're willing to experiment just reply to this subject and let me know how it goes.
Remember that this is a winter attractant so it might not work as well during summer.
Friday, January 6, 2017
Winter scouting
Well now that season is over many of us have already left the deer woods to stay back at the house to have our fill of tag soup, but there's more to hunting than that.
In order to become a skilled hunter you have to learn how black-tails behave, where they travel, where their preferred beds are and the like. You can never expect to become skilled at something unless you invest your self in learning about it. The same goes for hunting you have to get out side face the cold and discomfort of the soggy cold woods and learn the ways of your prey. If you didn't get a deer this past season then don't give up, what ever you do DON'T GIVE UP.
You have to push through the hard things about hunting and look for the beauty in it all, what a wonderful blessing it is to hunt and enjoy God's wonderful creation through the outdoors and the pursuit of game.
So take heart all you fellow novices, cause' there's always hope, sure you may have not killed a deer but don't get discouraged, a expert hunter was a amateur who didn't give up.
Now back on topic: How to become a better hunter.
What can you do now to become a better black-tail hunter? Well there are many answers to that, first get skilled with your weapon of choice. The last thing you want to happen is to be in the right spot at the right time with that big old buck in range and then fail to do your part in making a effective shot.
Another answer is to go explore the wild woods of the black-tail's range and carefully pick apart their secrets little by little. I'm not saying that your going to be the best hunter in a year or two but if you set your heart to it and don't let tag soup get your hopes down then over time you will learn to become a more skilled hunter. Things take time. Even the best hunters will make mistakes.
One last thing I should say is by researching the web for info and experiences of other black-tail hunters you will learn a lot quicker than on your own. Trail cameras and mineral licks can be a great way to scout Black-tails so stay tuned for a post soon on how to prepare a mineral site/trail camera survey.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
-Jeremy
In order to become a skilled hunter you have to learn how black-tails behave, where they travel, where their preferred beds are and the like. You can never expect to become skilled at something unless you invest your self in learning about it. The same goes for hunting you have to get out side face the cold and discomfort of the soggy cold woods and learn the ways of your prey. If you didn't get a deer this past season then don't give up, what ever you do DON'T GIVE UP.
You have to push through the hard things about hunting and look for the beauty in it all, what a wonderful blessing it is to hunt and enjoy God's wonderful creation through the outdoors and the pursuit of game.
So take heart all you fellow novices, cause' there's always hope, sure you may have not killed a deer but don't get discouraged, a expert hunter was a amateur who didn't give up.
Now back on topic: How to become a better hunter.
What can you do now to become a better black-tail hunter? Well there are many answers to that, first get skilled with your weapon of choice. The last thing you want to happen is to be in the right spot at the right time with that big old buck in range and then fail to do your part in making a effective shot.
Another answer is to go explore the wild woods of the black-tail's range and carefully pick apart their secrets little by little. I'm not saying that your going to be the best hunter in a year or two but if you set your heart to it and don't let tag soup get your hopes down then over time you will learn to become a more skilled hunter. Things take time. Even the best hunters will make mistakes.
One last thing I should say is by researching the web for info and experiences of other black-tail hunters you will learn a lot quicker than on your own. Trail cameras and mineral licks can be a great way to scout Black-tails so stay tuned for a post soon on how to prepare a mineral site/trail camera survey.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
-Jeremy
Saturday, December 17, 2016
Late season archery Black-tail tips
Hey there again,
So since I forgot to post last night and I just remembered just a minute ago, I may not have as much info as I'd like so forgive me on this one starting up a blog and posting consistently takes time to brake into.
So back on topic, late archery tips...
Most people out there will say that hunting late archery black-tails can be next to impossible, which I agree with but there are some strong advantages that may help you tag a nice black-tail if your willing to enter the gamble...
What makes the late season so hard is that the deer have already been hunted for 2 months, the rut is coming to a gradual decline and the big bucks begin to shift their daylight activity toward more and more nocturnal activities. This can be hard because the big boys will be back to their normal behavior mode: remaining hidden, and moving only when its safe, at night.
But there are some variables that play into the hunter's advantage, for instance snow can and will push bucks and does out of their secretive thickets and hideouts out into other territory such as creek bottoms and forested canopy where the snow is not as deep and where forbs and grasses remain as a good food source. Another advantage of snow is if you know that snow is expected that evening, or just after dusk, then hunting 2-3 hours before a storm will give you more chances at spotting a buck and for sure does and fawns feeding trying to fill themselves up with as much food as possible so they can sit out the storm. This is true as well when hunting after a significant storm, rain or snow.
One other advantage to hunting the late season is the colder weather, bucks will have worn themselves out during the rut and will be trying to find food sources that require the least energy expended. Remember after the rut these deer are on starvation mode (that's not to say that a deer's life is not a constant fight for survival, but that the winter months are about the most stressful on the deer herd) they need food badly but they still have to be careful not to use much of that energy for travel. A cold front will also push deer to feed earlier as well which gives an advantage to hunters looking to tag a bigger buck that tends to be more nocturnal.
Hunting the late season can be hard, but if you scout earlier in the year, and throughout the seasons learning the travel and feeding patterns of the big bucks in your hunting area, then you will gradually be able to pick apart the black-tail's crafty ways and stick an arrow one of those bigger bucks.
Good luck and Merry Christmas!
Jeremy
TIP OF THE WEEK:
Now's the time when bucks are back to their normal behavior, and are less likely to come out during the day, but you can still have the upper hand just remember deer are slaves to their stomach and if you know where a good food source is, or if you prepared fall/winter food plots back in august-September then stick tight, cause the deer will be hitting easy to access food sources hard throughout the winter.
So since I forgot to post last night and I just remembered just a minute ago, I may not have as much info as I'd like so forgive me on this one starting up a blog and posting consistently takes time to brake into.
So back on topic, late archery tips...
Most people out there will say that hunting late archery black-tails can be next to impossible, which I agree with but there are some strong advantages that may help you tag a nice black-tail if your willing to enter the gamble...
What makes the late season so hard is that the deer have already been hunted for 2 months, the rut is coming to a gradual decline and the big bucks begin to shift their daylight activity toward more and more nocturnal activities. This can be hard because the big boys will be back to their normal behavior mode: remaining hidden, and moving only when its safe, at night.
But there are some variables that play into the hunter's advantage, for instance snow can and will push bucks and does out of their secretive thickets and hideouts out into other territory such as creek bottoms and forested canopy where the snow is not as deep and where forbs and grasses remain as a good food source. Another advantage of snow is if you know that snow is expected that evening, or just after dusk, then hunting 2-3 hours before a storm will give you more chances at spotting a buck and for sure does and fawns feeding trying to fill themselves up with as much food as possible so they can sit out the storm. This is true as well when hunting after a significant storm, rain or snow.
One other advantage to hunting the late season is the colder weather, bucks will have worn themselves out during the rut and will be trying to find food sources that require the least energy expended. Remember after the rut these deer are on starvation mode (that's not to say that a deer's life is not a constant fight for survival, but that the winter months are about the most stressful on the deer herd) they need food badly but they still have to be careful not to use much of that energy for travel. A cold front will also push deer to feed earlier as well which gives an advantage to hunters looking to tag a bigger buck that tends to be more nocturnal.
Hunting the late season can be hard, but if you scout earlier in the year, and throughout the seasons learning the travel and feeding patterns of the big bucks in your hunting area, then you will gradually be able to pick apart the black-tail's crafty ways and stick an arrow one of those bigger bucks.
Good luck and Merry Christmas!
Jeremy
TIP OF THE WEEK:
Now's the time when bucks are back to their normal behavior, and are less likely to come out during the day, but you can still have the upper hand just remember deer are slaves to their stomach and if you know where a good food source is, or if you prepared fall/winter food plots back in august-September then stick tight, cause the deer will be hitting easy to access food sources hard throughout the winter.
Saturday, December 10, 2016
Intro to Hunterofwa blog!
Hey there!
So since making a video can be a little challenging, I decided I would be able to put out more helpful info faster through a blog.
Hopefully I'm able to post about every week so stay tuned for next Saturday! (That's when I'll have a regular post up each week)
So since making a video can be a little challenging, I decided I would be able to put out more helpful info faster through a blog.
Hopefully I'm able to post about every week so stay tuned for next Saturday! (That's when I'll have a regular post up each week)
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