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Why establish mineral sites on your hunting grounds? I get this question often. No it is not a magic bean that, over night will give you bigger antlered bucks for the coming fall. In fact mineral supplementation alone, is not going to result in larger antlered bucks on your hunting ground.
Think of mineral sites just like our multi-vitamins we take. They alone will not get you into the best shape you can be. Instead you have to eat and exercise correctly. Those multi-vitamins simply help you be as healthy as possible, reducing the risks of illness. Well the same goes for wildlife.
These mineral sites are their vitamins. They help that deer be as healthy as possible putting their bodies in the best condition possible. With the proper use of mineral sites, while properly managing your herd, native habitat, food sources, predators and stress on the herd, all combine to help maintain the healthiest herd possible. Healthy animals means those animals can and will express their greatest potential!
With antlers beginning to grow and does are in the last stages of gestation, now is a great time to get those site either started or refreshed for the upcoming growing season. The next 4 months are vital for your deer herd. Does will be lactating and bucks growing antlers, both requiring large amounts of nutrition and mineral supplementation.
I always recommend keeping mineral out year round. Fall and winter months they don't use or need it as much but again aids in making those deer as healthy and is as good of condition as possible. In some states you cannot hunt over mineral sites. This worries many hunters about keeping them out all year.
In this situation just read your states regulations. Often times you just have to place the mineral so many days before the season or cannot have a stand position within so many yards of the site. Simply place the mineral sites in areas you don't hunt. Whether that be in sanctuaries or just hard to hunt place where wind swirls or there aren't good stand sites.
There are many minerals out there to choose from. Just be sure to do your homework to be sure you are getting the best bang for your bucks. If you have questions on choosing the right mineral feel free to email.
Remember to manage today for a better tomorrow!
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