Salt licks

[Whitehntr]

I am seeing lots os trail cam pics off of salt licks. I have used salt licks in the past but have rarely had this type of activity. I think I am going about it all wrong. How are you guys building and setting up these salt licks. A little help would be greatly appreciated.

[bowsniper]

A lot of guys dig a hole and pour in salt from a bag. the problem with doing this is that it pretty much makes a permanent salt lick, even long after the salt has desolved into the soil. if you decide not to hunt it, the deer can still use it. if you start more than one of these, the deer will have choices, and may not hit the one that you are hunting. if several hunters start a few of these permanent salt licks, the deer will have all sorts of choices. you setting up one salt lick will be worthless if there are several others in the area. you probably won't even see the others, because the salt desolves quickly into the soil, but the deer keep chewing the dirt for a long time.

 

my way around this problem is to use a salt block. get them at the feed store for 2 or 3 dollars. leave them out, and if you decide not to hunt there, then just pick it up. sure, if they get wet, a little will desolve into the soil, but not nearly as much as bag salt will.

 

sorry for the soap box, but if guys keep using bag salt, hunting salt licks will become pointless.

 

bowsniper

[ultramag]

i have a question,If you start a salt lick how long typicaly will it take for deer to start using it regulary,a couple months,weeks?is a tree stand the only way to hunt these licks or can you do it effective in a groung blind?

[CouesWhitetail]

That is a good point bowsniper. I hadn't thought of that.

 

I always thought of salt blocks as just impossible to lug around, but I guess you can wack them into little pieces easy enough.

 

Amanda

[hunterdude]

Deer don't hit the licks overnight it takes some time for them to hit them on a regular basis. I have a number of salt licks out, I just don't put them so close together that the deer have choices. If you leave them they will always be there to hunt later.

[bowsniper]

you're right Amanda, the large blocks are too big to carry. I use the smaller blocks, that weigh about 2 lbs., and are about the size of a brick. you can get them at sportsman's warehouse or at the feed store.

 

I think that it could take up to several months for the deer to start hitting it regularly. a blind should work ok, but probably not as well as a treestand. then again, if i had been using a blind, i wouldn't be sitting here today typing this message with one hand, I'D BE OUT HUNTING!

 

bowsniper

[Guest Ernesto C]

bowsniper (let the honor and glory be to the Lord) my friend......just wanted to tell you are in our prayers and today at church we were praying for you and your full and fast recovery soon.

 

Ernesto C.

 

P.S. And we pray for the rest of CWT.members too.

 

A proper hit in a vital area is your only puspose when firing at game

[kwp]

Bowsniper,

I can see how your point would be true for some circumstances but I think that for others it may not be true.

 

I use the granulated salt in a bag not becuase it lasts longer but because it works quicker. Deer don't actually eat the pure salt granules or lick the salt blocks they eat the soil after the salt has leached into it, regardless of where it comes from. Cattle and other stock will actually lick a block but deer won't. This is why when you find a block that a rancher or hunter has put out it appears that it is on a little pedestal with the soil around and underneath eat eaten.

 

Using the bagged salt does not always mean that the lick will be permanent. I only put a small amount of salt on at a time and have to replenish it multiple times every year. Because I do replenish them regularly, they have probably become somewhat permanant and I don't know how long it would take for the deer to stop using them. A small amount of salt mixed into the soil and some water poured onto it will usually start to work within the first week.

 

Also, if someone does their homework, a permanent salt lick isn't a bad thing. Before building my two licks I spent a lot of time in the field, determined where I thought the best location was for the licks, and searched the area to make sure that there were not any licks that were already in the area. I like to think that the deer get used to using my licks and that I could possibly pattern how often they use it. Someone else could possibly build another lick in the area but since my brother and I are usually out there at least a couple times every month of the year, and don't ever see anyone else, except during hunting season, their licks probably wouldn't last.

[ajohunter]

Ok now this sounds like something worth trying out. I am going to make a salt like with granulated salt out here near where I hunt in Ajo. There are no other salt licks in the area, there are no cattle in that particular area, and hunters around here dont get that into usiong salt licks. I will place it near a travel route between their bedding and feeding areas. I will do this next weekend so if anyone has any other ideas for me let me know. Also the deer in question are mule deer so dont hang me to bad for that.....hahaha. The coues deer out here are to far out to do any real observing.

[25-06]

What about natural salt or mineral licks? I always seen areas were deer have been pounding the ground lookin for something other than water most of the time in a wash where water is real close by,but seem to be diggin in the soil fer somethin different? I put a trail cam in a area like this and had vary good results I wish I had a way to post the photos....

[bowsniper]

kwp-

 

I like your method with the smaller licks. I was talking more about the 40lb bag of water softener salt licks. I disagree with you though about deer not licking salt blocks. I've had them lick the block down to a nub (no cows in the area). I do agree that they like to dig down and chew the dirt once the salt has desolved.

 

Ernesto, thank you and your church so much for your prayers. It is very humbling and inspiring to have fellow Christians go before the Lord on my behalf.

 

Bowsniper

[ultramag]

bowsniper i know you had a bad experience with a tree stand, but will that stop you from hunting out of them.i saw the deer you got last year ,buy the way congrats again,heck of a buck, i have a feeling you will use a tree stand again,but be safe, and have a speedy recovery.

[Becker]

Good luck with those mule deer. I have had little and mostly no success on getting them to use the salt. Just wanted to let you know not to get hopes up.

[donniedent]

I've had more success with the stuff you buy online (liquid) than I've had with salt. Everybody and their brother use salt. If you offer the deer something a little different your odds may go up a little. I'm not gonna advertise but I found something that works great. I tried hardhunter but to no avail. Not that it doesn't work, just not where I hunt. I prefer the stuff that soaks into the ground to mineral blocks because slob hunters LOVE to steal mineral blocks. I can't tell you haw many I've had stolen. The stuff I use usually has deer on it within a week give or take a day or 2. If you start a good lick now and pay close attention through the fall you'll have a great spot come the rut. If you use a liquid form you may have to replenish it a couple times before the rut starts but I promise you one thing, if its a good spot, the deer will hit it everyday. And don't worry if its only does hitting it at first, the bucks jwill be with them come the rut.

 

Good luck

Donnie

[TREESTANDMAN]

I agree that deer prefer to eat the soil after the salt has leached into the ground. I have gotten countless pictures and videos of the deer ignoring the salt blocks or bag salt above ground and pawing and eating the dirt where the salt is less concentrated.

 

They will still hit salt above ground if that is all they are offered though.

 

Supposedly the AZ G&F is considering the banishing of all forms of baiting all game animals including the use of salt. Salt would be permitted for ranchers of course but it would not be permissible to hunt over the salt. This is not set in stone yet but will be voted on soon.