[JMAC]

This year is gonna be my first to use mineral licks. I'll probably get out next week and put them in. My question is WHERE do I put them? The piece of property that I'll be putting them on is kinda different. The deer don't use trails. It's mainly wooded with logging roads at the tops of the ridges and an occasional clearing at the end of the logging roads. There are also two food plots of wheat and clover mix but I can only hunt one of those plots consistently because the other is "claimed" by other hunters. There are ridges and draws that seem to hold deer better than others but their movement is still scattered. What am I looking for in a place to put the licks?

 

[JBMan]

put them as close to water as possible, say 200 yards from a pond, or creek to ensure maximum usage.

 

[JMAC]

Another thing I forgot to mention is there is a 40 acre lake on this property. The only other water sources are wet weather creeks.

 

[JBMan]

any woods around the lake?

 

[JMAC]

It's ALL wooded around the lake.

 

[Vector]

I put mineral licks 25-30 yards away from my stand locations in hopes of killing a doe or two over them with my bow.

Parker

 

[JBMan]

if you know of areas that concentrate deer the most that are close to the lake, i would set the mineral licks there. the main issue is that in the summer months deer will consume less mineral if they can't reach water, it would be the same as eating salty crackers and then running for a mile without water on a hot day.

 

[Lefty]

I would say:

-Put one on the edge of the each of the food plots

-Put one on top of the ridge (in time it will hold water, and this will attrack deer even more)

-And maybe put one in the clearings that you described at the end of a logging road...

Well, that's my 2 cents anyways!

 

[Mailman]

I have mine on the edge of an underground pipeline that cuts through my timber. It just happens to be on a ridgeline. The deer seem to brouse the pipeline night and day and visit the lick during the hotter months. Without actually seeing your place I would guess placing a lick somewhere on the logging road possibly at the edge of one of the openings. JBman may have something there about the water thing. Mine is within 75 yards of a small pond inside the woods.

 

[JMAC]

Ok, refer the picture I just posted above in my first post. Pay no attention to the orange dot.

The only exception to the statement that they don't use trails is in the light green area at the upper (left) end of the lake. This is an area where they cleared because they thought the lake would rise to that level and it never did. It's full of little scrub trees and grasses and has some trails moving in and out of it. It's a natural funnel. I could put one up on that end of the lake. Close to water. Deer travel through there. What do you think?

The only problem with this area from a hunting standpoint is that it's REALLY hard to get to. I have actually thought about using a boat to get over there before daylight if I set a stand up there.

 

[Lefty]

^^^^^ Sounds good to me jmm!

 

[Hoytshooter]

Good advice so far. I think the area you mentioned in your last post is ideal if you can figure out a good way to get in there early.
My advice on a way in would be to get a small john boat, a twelve volt battery, and a small trolling motor. You could move up that lake almost silently in the early morning or for an afternoon hunt. I use the same set up fishing larger farm ponds.

 

[X Bow T]

Right off your best stand!:cheers:

I just added 100 pounds of stock salt yesterday.:banana:

 

[henry]

Originally posted by jmmcguire
Ok, refer the picture I just posted above in my first post. Pay no attention to the orange dot.

The only exception to the statement that they don't use trails is in the light green area at the upper (left) end of the lake. This is an area where they cleared because they thought the lake would rise to that level and it never did. It's full of little scrub trees and grasses and has some trails moving in and out of it. It's a natural funnel. I could put one up on that end of the lake. Close to water. Deer travel through there. What do you think?

The only problem with this area from a hunting standpoint is that it's REALLY hard to get to. I have actually thought about using a boat to get over there before daylight if I set a stand up there.

It sounds like you are describing a possible hot bedding area there. If you plan on hunting over this lick, I would'nt put it any closer to the area than I could safley get to my stand without spooking a bunch of deer. How many acres are you pictueing there???? You may want to put out more than one lick.

:cheers::cheers:

 

[northmobigbuck]

right beside my pond

 

[JMAC]

henry, that's somewhere between 200 and 250 acres pictured. Hoytshooter recommended that I use a jon boat to get to the other side of the lake and actually I had been considering that. It would drastically cut down on my disturbance of the woods around that area. I had planned on putting out more than one lick. Probably three. One around my bro's main stand and then two for me!