Whitetail deer tend to seek out natural sources of minerals, particularly bucks, who devote a good portion of their biology to growing those magnificent antlers.
If you’ve ever been on a property that has cattle and whitetail deer you may have discovered a large hole in the ground where a salt block was left to dissolve. Deer often are reluctant to lick a new salt block, but they’ll paw and ingest the dirt that contains the dissolved mineral.
Bernie Barringer gives his tips for using a mineral lick as a hunting tactic in this post from OutdoorHub. If you can’t ever seem to outguess the wanderings of whitetail deer, a salt lick may make their movements more predictable.
I have become convinced that every deer hunter is really a “trophy hunter” at heart. While many hunters rail against so-called trophy hunting, even the most ardent “meat hunter” would still love the opportunity to shoot a nice buck. In fact, the next time someone claims to be opposed to trophy hunting, ask them this question: “if a big 10-point buck and a doe were standing side by side, which one would you shoot?” You know the answer to that question, so I guess we all have an interest in shooting a really nice buck no matter what forms our basic core hunting choices.
Having a chance to shoot a larger buck is the driving force behind much of deer hunting and land management for deer hunting these days. More and
more people are managing their property for mature whitetails with the hopes of seeing and harvesting more deer with big racks. Food plots, cover enhancement, sanctuaries, and inviolate areas are all methods hunters successfully use to improve their deer hunting experience. One of the least expensive ways to improve your deer herd is the use of mineral supplements.
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