On our hunting property, we like to do all we can to keep the deer around and help them grow bigger and fuller. One of the things we like to do is give the deer something they’ll come back for every day. That ingredient is salt. We have been making our own salt licks and mineral licks for years so I wanted to share our recipe on how to make your own salt lick attractant.
The Ingredients
You can buy the following items from your local feed store, Rural King, Southern States, Tractor Supply, etc.
- 1 part Di-Calcium Phosphate
- This is used as a feed additive for cattle, horses, goats & swine. Comes in a 50 lb bag for around $30.
- 2 parts Trace mineral salt
- This helps promote digestion and growth. Comes in a 50 lb bag for under $10.
- 1 part Stock salt
- Just ice cream salt. Comes in 50 lb bag for under $10.
Our Recommendations
These are the items we use year round – two come from Amazon.
Di-Calcium Phosphate
Crazy as it sounds – there’s no great online option for this that we’ve found. Our local Tractor Supply usually has it in stock, though – the brand we get is Sprout and runs ~$26
Trace Mineral Salt
- 50 Lb. Trace Mineral Bag Of Salt
- Contains The 6 Core Micro Minerals: Zinc, Manganese, Cobalt, Copper, Iodine and Iron
- All 6 Elements Are Required For Basic Animal Health
- Formulated For All Classes Of Beef and Dairy Cattle, Pigs and Horses
- Contains The 6 Core Micro Minerals: Zinc, Manganese, Cobalt, Copper, Iodine and Iron
Salt Stock
- 50 Lb. Fine Stock Ag Salt
- Contains The Anti-caking Agent Yps
- Is Used As Both Mixing Salt and Stock Salt
- For All Classes Of Beef and Dairy Cattle, Sheep, Pigs and Horses
- Purity Levels For Fine Stock Is Guaranteed To 95-percent
Making the Salt Lick
Once you have all your ingredients purchased, do the following:
- Mix all minerals together in a large bucket.
- Find a spot where deer frequently walk and dig a hole about 8 inches deep.
- Pour the bucket of mineral mixture into the hole. If you have an old tree stump pour it all around it too.
- Place your trail camera next to your mixture hole and watch for deer.
Hope this helps you save a few bucks. With the 50 lb bags, you will have enough to create salt licks in different locations on your property (ideally near a food plot to keep that deer heard growing while you wait for hunting season to start.)
Don’t Want to DIY?
If you decide you just want to buy a few small blocks instead of making your own deer lick, we highly recommend these from American Stockman:
- 4 Lb. Trace Mineral Brick
- Contains 6 Core Micro-minerals Required For Animal Health
- Minerals Include Zinc, Manganese, Cobalt, Copper, Iodine and Iron
- For All Classes Of Breed and Dairy Cattle, Pigs and Horses
- Major Health Problems Can Arise Without This Product
Would it help to add water to the mix?