Deer Minerals: The Importance of and How to Establish a Mineral Site In today’s hunting world more and more hunters are managing their properties to achieve a healthier deer herd and maximize antler growth. Managing a deer herd on a hunting property is a year-round obsession for most outdoorsmen across the country. There are many important factors a deer will need in its life to achieve overall health and antler growth. This includes a nutritional food source, water and minerals. Adding a mineral site to a hunting property is very beneficial to the entire deer family. A quality mineral program is necessary for a whitetail deer’s health. Minerals are important during the antler development stage in the spring and summer months, but also provide important health benefits on a year-round basis. Also for does, minerals play a role in fetal development, lactation and improved milk production. When fawns grow older they will be programmed to return to mineral sites that they visited with their mother. This will help a young deer in its growing stages to build better bone structure and stay healthy. Getting Started: When starting a mineral site, locate a well-used trail between a food source and a bedding area…if there is water nearby, that is a plus. This area should be in cover, like a thicket or standing timber, as it makes the deer feel more safe and secure, as they will be feeding with their head down. Once a perfect spot is located, clear out any debris in a 2- to 3-foot circle with a rake, then dig a shallow hole and loosen up the soil before adding in the mineral. For best results, I would recommend two 20lb bags of Antler King Trophy deer mineral and two 5lb bags of Antler King Power Rack mineral. Once a site is established, replenish it monthly. The greatest consumption of mineral will take place from February to September. I recommend keeping mineral available year-round for your deer herd. To learn more about the importance of minerals follow the link below: https://antlerking.com/why-do-deer-need-minerals/ Jason Buell Antler King Prostaff – Kansas Categories: Blog
john street says November 27, 2018 at 11:17 am can you just place minerals strait on the groung to get same results or is it best to clear and dig? Reply
Robie Pruitt says November 27, 2018 at 12:31 pm That is a great question, You can definitely just pour it out on the ground just make sure that it’s in a flat spot so the rain won’t wash it away from your spot, but with that said if you want the best out of your mineral site I would recommend clearing a area of debris and loosen up the soil. Reply
Alex Sutton says December 15, 2020 at 10:21 am Jason, this is so awesome! Thank you for sharing! I’ve been looking for more information on putting minerals out, so this was great! It sounds like you are using loose minerals. People keep suggesting to put out a mineral lick, is that something you would recommend when setting up a mineral site? Reply
Robie Pruitt says December 15, 2020 at 10:36 am When starting a mineral lick I recommend 1 lick per 40 acres, we have our minerals in granular and block form, when starting a lick I will clear out a 4 foot area and dump out 1 bag of trophy deer mineral and one bag of power rack in the spring Reply
