How to make a deer mineral site

Lots of things have been said and written about products likely to foster deer’s interest and attract it in a given sector. Among these, mineral sites, if they are well made, will satisfy the animal, and, indirectly, the deer hunting fan.

How to make a mineral site for deer? The following technique is simple and allows for multiple of variations.

Bases for a mineral site for deers

First, whether you have chosen minerals in powder, granulated, in a block, or a rock, you can either sprinkle a stump with the minerals or place them on the ground, directly on dirt if possible. Note that sand won’t give you as good a result.

Next, spray apple cider vinegar in the nearby trees and shrubs, as well as on the minerals . Finally, put some urine and manure directly on the minerals.

All that is left to be patient. Neutralizing the soil by modifying its pH or turning it on a large surface won’t make the animal any more interested. It is the deer’s coming and going that will make the difference.

You must understand that the installation of a mineral site, which you will transform into a feeding site early in the fall, won’t increase the quantity of deer that roams the immediate surroundings of your hunting ground.

A mineral site’s only purpose is to incite neighboring deer to go to the same location and create a habit that will become a routine. The station creates and concentrates certain activities on a specific spot on your ground. The more your station is located strategically, the higher your chances of success when the hunting season comes.

The smell of apple to speed discovery

About twenty years ago, very few products were available to deer hunters who wanted to take advantage of the deer’s gluttony. Most used granulated salt or salt blocks meant for cows. Only a few companies specialized in this field.

Nowadays, in the province of Quebec, many companies that offer a large quantity of products for mineral sites have literally invaded the market. I personally use the smell of apples (apple juice or apple cider vinegar) and a mix of minerals and salt (granulated or in a block).

The smell of apple is particularly efficient. I spray it abundantly over my new mineral sites. I also spray it on my boots many times on the way to the stations. 100% pure vanilla also works very well.

A few feet around my mineral sites, I spray deer urine (the leftover of an old bottle from the previous season is enough) and I put a bit of deer manure that I picked up on my path. This reassures the deer and incites it to visit the station more quickly.

Last spring, I prepared about ten new stations on neighboring lands which I sprayed with my juice mix and, after only a week, they were all visited by deer.

The year before, I had built seven mineral sites using no smell as attractant and it took up to a month and a half before they all received frequent visits. Besides the olfactory attractant to speed up the discovery of the stations, there was no difference in the way they were built. I conclude that apple smell is significantly efficient, whether as apple juice or cider vinegar.

Composition of the mineral site

As far as salt is concerned, I can assert that deer prefers salt with minerals to pure salt.

If your area is small and surrounded by other groups of hunters who also use mineral sites, use a mineral salt that natural and well-balanced, and which contains at least sulfur, calcium, magnesium and potassium. This can make the difference between regular visits on your site and sporadic visits between all mineral sites in the area. Do not forget that a deer travels quite a bit and that mature males occupy territories of over 500 acres.

Almost all companies in the province have mineral salts enhanced with a variety natural minerals. Their efficiency is superior. I have compared it with regular coarse salt and there was a considerable difference in attendance. In each instance where both products were available, the deer left ordinary salt to use only the mineral mix.

When comes the middle of September, I always make sure to have a bit of minerals in my stations, but I also add grain corn to maintain the appeal.

Location counts more than anything else

Although the quality and choice of products play an important role in the success of this technique, the location of your future mineral site is the most important aspect to consider, especially for those interested in getting an adult buck.

First, the mineral site must be near a watering hole. (less than 250 meters).

Next, if your territory contains the type of deer that you are looking for, in order to be successful, you must serve your cocktail as close as possible to the area that it already uses. For example, if you locate a beaver pond with a good quantity of frottages from the last breeding season, this site might be a good choice. Another place to consider: along a stream that offers a transition between many dense shrubs and a thinning. Also, the surroundings of a clear-cut belt (less than 2 acres) that is between 3 and 10 years old seems to me like a good idea because they offer food, cover and the type of tree that males like to rub against. If you install a mineral site very early in the spring, the deer will quickly start use it regularly.

Note that if your hunting ground offers nothing that lets you assume that the territory is used by one or several mature males, building a mineral site will not make much of a difference during your hunting season.

The dominating wind and your hiding places

Now that you have a good idea of where you will locate your saline, take into consideration the dominating wind to locate it precisely in relation to your hiding places.

Choose a conifer to install a permanent tree stand. For a commercial portable tree stand, the head of a large deciduous tree will do, as long as you hunt during the crossbow season, which happens before the loss of leaves.

I always prepare a small natural hiding place on the ground for days when the wind is bad. This way, I can take advantage of a particularly active site under any weather condition. As other authors have already mentioned before me, mineral sites are more efficient for evening hunt. Thus, it might be wise to take into account the location of sunset to avoid being blinded by the sun rays while waiting.