# Mineral Licks



## Bo0YaA (Sep 29, 2008)

I have a buddy of mine that uses these for photo ops on both deer and elk and I was wondering what the rules are regarding the use of these for hunting. He wont tell me where his are lol (hes not a hunter) but he has some pretty nice pictures of animals paying them a visit.


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## HOGAN (Sep 8, 2007)

Perfectly leagal.


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## HJB (May 22, 2008)

Don't use them, they don't work :lol:


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## inbowrange (Sep 11, 2007)

I use them, they work dame good!!!!!!!


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## HJB (May 22, 2008)

:evil: 
Ok fine! They work, now lets delete this post before all the secrets are revealed!!!


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## elkfromabove (Apr 20, 2008)

HJB said:


> :evil:
> Ok fine! They work, now lets delete this post before all the secrets are revealed!!!


No, let's not!
I'm not going to tell you _where _my setups are, but I'm more than happy to tell you _what_ my setups are. I consider my hunting spots secret, but not my hunting methods. Especially mineral licks because those minerals produce healthier animals and bigger racks and the more we have of them, the better.

Now, let's see. I usually set those blocks (or is granualized?) out just prior to the hunt (or is it earlier?) along with other food attractants (apples?, hay?, acorns?) away from water (or is it near water?) and tuck it behind a bush (or is it out in the open?) somewhere near a meadow where they feed (or is it near their bedding area?) in the valley (or is it on a steep hillside?), then I set up a treestand (or a natural ground blind?) and simply wait all day long, and the next day, and the next day, and the next day, and so on, and so on! See how simple? Does it work? It did two years ago and a couple of times before that! Is it fun? I can't remember, I was asleep most of the time!

Anyway, good hunting!!!


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## Bo0YaA (Sep 29, 2008)

lol Nice post there EFA well Ive been doin some reading on them and I think Im gonna give them a try this next year for the muzzy hunt near water placing them 3 weeks to a month prior to the opening. Then sit in a ground blind for hours at dawn and in the evening and see what happens.


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## elkfromabove (Apr 20, 2008)

Bo0YaA said:


> lol Nice post there EFA well Ive been doin some reading on them and I think Im gonna give them a try this next year for the muzzy hunt near water placing them 3 weeks to a month prior to the opening. Then sit in a ground blind for hours at dawn and in the evening and see what happens.


Hint: Pour on some anise (licorice) oil to attract them. They love it. You can buy that at any grocery store off the spice rack.

BTW: Now don't laugh too loud, but for a dunce like me, what does "lol" mean? I've seen it almost every day on this forum and thought it meant Lots of Luck, but that doesn't seem to fit some applications. Most of the abbreviations I've figured out, including the forbidden word substitues, but this one throws me a curve ball. Am I right or am I left (field)?


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## Bo0YaA (Sep 29, 2008)

dont worry, I had to have my son tell me what it means and from what I was told it can either mean laugh out loud or lots of laughs. Now heres a tricky one for ya LMFAO or ROLMFAO both of which have the ultimate swear word............freakin (or the other one) in them.


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## elkfromabove (Apr 20, 2008)

Bo0YaA said:


> dont worry, I had to have my son tell me what it means and from what I was told it can either mean laugh out loud or lots of laughs. Now heres a tricky one for ya LMFAO or ROLMFAO both of which have the ultimate swear word............freakin (or the other one) in them.


Shame on you! :twisted: What are you teaching that boy of yours besides how to field dress a deer? Or rather, what is he teaching you? I have no idea what this tricky one means and don't want to know 'cause I never intend to get that mad. Besides, if we pursue this highjack, we'll have everybody telling us LMFAO or ROLMFAO.

Ho hum, back to Mineral Licks!


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## Bo0YaA (Sep 29, 2008)

Yeh it is what hes teaching me and just for the record its Laugh My Freakin A** Off and Roll Over Laughing My Freakin A** Off


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## elkfromabove (Apr 20, 2008)

Bo0YaA said:


> Yeh it is what hes teaching me and just for the record its Laugh My Freakin A** Off and Roll Over Laughing My Freakin A** Off


Yahoo! That means I can use them and I don't have to be mad as "heck" to do it! Tell that boy of yours, thanks!

Now, back to the task at hand!
Place your lick behind a tree, rock, bush, or stump so that when he puts his head down to lick, his eyes won't be able to pick up your movement as you prepare to shoot, but his body is broadside and in the open.


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## Bo0YaA (Sep 29, 2008)

Have you found one flavor that works better then another? Ive seen plain old salt, apple, berry, corn, acorn and many others. They seem to be cheap enough that I could just get a few different flavors and see which they enjoy the most.


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## elkfromabove (Apr 20, 2008)

Bo0YaA said:


> Have you found one flavor that works better then another? Ive seen plain old salt, apple, berry, corn, acorn and many others. They seem to be cheap enough that I could just get a few different flavors and see which they enjoy the most.


I've only used the anise oil (licorice) and apples/apple juice and they both work good, although they found the anise oil faster. Try some others and let us know.


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## redleg (Dec 5, 2007)

In the Army, A.O. is used for Area of Operation. or the area you are responsible for - or just your area. 
Leave my A O means get away from me.
F stands for one of those "filler words" used to add emphasis or make the statement sound more important. :lol:


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## elkfromabove (Apr 20, 2008)

redleg said:


> In the Army, A.O. is used for Area of Operation. or the area you are responsible for - or just your area.
> Leave my A O means get away from me.
> F stands for one of those "filler words" used to add emphasis or make the statement sound more important. :lol:


That sounds more like what I was originally thinking! In any case, I was joking about using it. Now I'm sure I won't. Thanks for the warning!

Back to the subject at hand. (See, I keep trying to *squash* my own highjack,)
I forgot that I also threw some of our grapes on one of the setups and they were gone when I checked two days later. The setup was an old one so I don't know whether the grapes actually attracted the deer or they just eat them since they were there anyway. I've seen on videos where other fruits, vegetables, and spices are used on whitetails and don't see why they wouldn't work on mule deer and elk. I guess we really could get carried away with this baiting issue, but since it's legal with big game (so far) and since I consider it ethical and I mostly hunt from treestands, I'm willing to play with it. Not everyone (hardly anyone) thinks like me so it isn't for everyone, but it's worked for me.


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

elkfromabove said:


> but since it's legal with big game (so far) and since I consider it ethical and I mostly hunt from treestands, I'm willing to play with it. Not everyone (hardly anyone) thinks like me so it isn't for everyone, but it's worked for me.


You can call it anything you want and I guess it isn't illegal, but I call it plain old baiting and I think it is highly unelthical! Shame on you and any of you other guys that are hiding behind an oversight in the law. You're cheating to help you get a deer or elk...what's wrong with you?... think man, think!


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## Bo0YaA (Sep 29, 2008)

I am thinking "man" Im thinking perhaps it will increase my sons chances of taking a decent animal on public land. Not you or anybody else can question the amount of work my son and I have put in over the years looking for animals on public land without luck. Now Im sure some of you will say well your looking in the wrong areas or not looking hard enough yada yada yada and you can have what ever opinion you want. Im not seeking anybodies approval, Im just looking for ways to increase our odds on public land (with in the law). If you choose not to take advantage of it because maybe you have some nice little honey hole then more power to ya but they locked up my honey hole 10 years ago so you do things your way and dont pass judgement on others who do things different as long as its leagal.


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## elkfromabove (Apr 20, 2008)

BPturkeys said:


> elkfromabove said:
> 
> 
> > but since it's legal with big game (so far) and since I consider it ethical and I mostly hunt from treestands, I'm willing to play with it. Not everyone (hardly anyone) thinks like me so it isn't for everyone, but it's worked for me.
> ...


Well, let's see! It's legal and ethical to take advantage of and/or deceive a big game animal's keen sense of hearing by wearing quiet clothing, soft soled shoes or even stockings, or by bugling, grunting, cow calling, bleating, raking the brush, rattling real or fake antlers together, etc.

And it's legal and ethical to take advantage of and/or deceive a big game animal's keen sense of smell by staying downwind, staying above wind in a treestand, washing your clothes or yourself in a scentfree soap, spraying on a cover scent to mask the human odor, or spraying on or using a female estrus scent or rival male scent to lure the male in, etc.

And it's legal and ethical to take advantage of and/or deceive a big game animal's keen sense of sight by wearing camoflague clothing, hiding in a blind, using binoculars and scopes, hiding behind a tree, rock or bush, by moving slowly or not at all, by using a long distance weapon (rifle) so you don't have to get too close, and by using decoys, etc.

Ans it's legal and ethical to take advantage of a big game animal's emotions, such as curiosity (fawn bleats, white flag waving, and in my case - turkey decoys), fear of humans (deer drives, pushing through a draw or canyon), sex (by making the male think there's a female in estrus, see above), anger (by making the male think there's a rival nearby, see above).

Then there are legal and ethical tactics that are hard to classify, such as patterning an animal's movements, following tracks, using range finders, setting up stands and blinds, forcing or encouraging animals to follow certain pathways by removing or stacking vegetation or by lowering the top rail or wire of a fence at a certain spot, mock scraps and rubs, etc.

But yet you say it's not ethical, even though it's legal, to take advantage of and/or deceive a big game animal's sense of taste???? I said this is not for everyone! You lure them in using 3 of their senses and I'll lure them in using 4 of their senses. (If I could figure out how to take advantage of their 5th sense. the sense of touch, I'd do that too.)

Most wild animals have much better senses than humans, and greater speed, quicker reactions, more agility, stronger muscles, and more enduraence, and maybe even a 6th sense. That makes hunting them challenging and fun. But we have the ability to think rationally and abstractly and we can figure things out ahead of time while they can't. You tell me to think, man, think! And that's exactly what I'm doing! And for me that's as challenging and fun as the actual hunt! I''ll say it again, it's not for everybody!


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

Great post EFA,

I'll add this too. Baiting gets animals in close. Close means more ethical shot placement, better shot choices, and better trophy and sex classification. (especially on bears) Close means you have a better chance at an *ethical* kill. No matter what kind of moral ethics you think you hold yourself to.

It puts a food and nutritional supplement out for the critters that helps the health and stability of all who partake of it. Including non target animals like lactating females, young animals, and non game animals as well.

How could any of that be unethical?

Ethics can only be defined by what you do when nobody is looking...

BP, I like and respect you a lot, and I suspect you're pretty old-school. I too have a lot of old-school in me but I also look at the big picture and when we draw lines in the sand about what is and what is not ethical in todays world... :roll: We're flirting with a bees nest. I used to be very stubborn about what I thought MY ideals concerning ethics were and how I looked at everyone else who didn't think like me. I have since tried to remove those blinders.


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

Well, you certainly have been giving it some thought, I'll hand you that. Many of the points you make are true and good. I guess some things and tactics don't just "seem" right and baiting is one of them. It just seems to me to fall out of the range of "hunting" and somehow move into the realm of...well...cheating. I feel the same way about a lot of modern hunting methods...group or team guides for example, food plots w/ overlooking shooting towers, both "legal" but in my mind unethical. It's hard to choose what methods are unethical but legal and those we all agree might be unethical AND illegal. Why for example is the use of airplanes or motor vehicles not legal? We as intelligent man have that method available to us, is that the test?? What about dynamite as a weapon??...or baiting for that matter, why is it illegel on birds but not animals...that doesn't make much sense. I guess somewhere between a naked human using nothing but his bare hands, and one using a nuclear tipped ballistic missiles lies the "legal and ethical" method for hunting. Maybe, as we are doing right now, each man must define "ethical" based upon his standards and apply it to his personal hunting methods to a level that he can live with. Hopefully the ends will sooth one's means. -Ov-


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

I'm hearin ya BP.

In my hunting forays over the last 32 years I have had both ends of the extreme encounters.

I have always tried to pit myself against the quarry I hunt with stealth and intelligence. Some days I'm left heading home with my tail dragging under my butt in humble defeat and sometimes I have a critter do everything but lay down in front of me and spread it's legs. Be the kills easy or well and long earned however, I always come away with a sense of pride and accomplishment. Especially with the choice of weapon(s) I prefer. (recurve bow/20 ga shotgun)
A good friend of mine is now hunting deer In GA with a self bow and a piece of rock tied to the end of his arrow just like the ****** used to do it. (In archery that's about as hard as it gets) No cammo, no scents, just him and the deer. However, he hunts in a tree stand over looking a wild crabapple tree that's dropping fruit on the ground. Is he unethical? What's the difference between that and putting the apples there yourself?

Like you said, and I said, "each man must define "ethical" based upon his standards and apply it to his personal hunting methods." OR " Ones ethics can only be defined by what you do when nobody is looking..."

But hey, I've uped my standards and ethics, so up yours. :mrgreen:


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## elk22hunter (Sep 7, 2007)

I agree with everything that has been said on both sides...............(can you do that?)...........and have come up with the conclusion that someone needs to watch more Ted Nugent's Spirit of the Wild. 

*Corn is your friend!* I had a bunch of older scouts (16-17) at lake powell. We were sitting at the dock watching the girls go by and they were trying to talk to them but were having a hard time getting them to stop. I said to them, "Popcorn is your friend". They were confused until I went into the marina and bought a bag of popcorn. I threw some into the water as some cute girls were coming by. When the girls all stopped to see the feeding frenzy provided by the carp, catfish and Stripers, the boys began to make small talk with them. They now understand how "Popcorn is their friend"...................The same holds true with Mule Deer.


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## elkfromabove (Apr 20, 2008)

I'm also hearin' you BP. And you too, Tex. And elk22 too! That's why I keep sayin' "It's not for everybody!" Though I probably use more logic and science in my hunting schemes than many of you, I know that emotions and feelings play a great part of hunting and I wouldn't have it otherwise! My heart pounds and I have to catch my breath just like you do when any game animal shows up at my setups, even a doe. And I get buck fever about as bad as it gets. (When I took my bull elk several years ago, I got it so bad I didn't have strength enough to pull back my bow, and had to turn around behind the tree so I couldn't see the bull, take a few slow breaths and lift my bow straight up to draw, then turn back around to shoot.)

IMHO, this debate about ethics is a healthy debate as long as it doesn't get heated and divisive. We have fly fishermen vs bait fishermen, rifle hunters vs muzzy hunters vs bowhunters, traditional archers vs compound bowhunters, elk hunters vs deer hunters, mule deer hunters vs whitetail hunters, trophy hunters vs nontrophy hunters, etc. etc. etc. And it's mostly about ethics and emotions. That's why we have those contradictory laws about allowing the baiting of big game animals, but not birds, fish or bears, although it's legal to hunt over "bait" that happens to be there from nature or agricultural activities. When all is said and done, I like to rely on the definition of fair chase as defined by the Pope & Young Club. There may be other standards, either tougher or more lax, promoted by other entities, and it's up to individuals to decide what they consider ethical, *as long as it's legal and doesn't hurt the sport or the herds/flocks.*

I guess we can agree to disagree, And who knows, time, economics, health (as in my case), politics, new ideas or inventions, or talking to each other may cause us to change our minds either way about what is ethical.


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## north slope (Sep 8, 2007)

I have baited and I intend to do it again (bears). I know a lot of people that have baited some and then there are those that are master baiters, they bait all the time. I guess I am just a seasonal baiter, not a master baiter.


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## grunt_smacker (Sep 7, 2007)

elk22hunter said:


> *Corn is your friend!* I had a bunch of older scouts (16-17) at lake powell. We were sitting at the dock watching the girls go by and they were trying to talk to them but were having a hard time getting them to stop. I said to them, "Popcorn is your friend". They were confused until I went into the marina and bought a bag of popcorn. I threw some into the water as some cute girls were coming by. When the girls all stopped to see the feeding frenzy provided by the carp, catfish and Stripers, the boys began to make small talk with them. They now understand how "Popcorn is their friend"...................The same holds true with Mule Deer.


So your saying if I use popcorn as an attractant there will be hot gilrs surrounding me and my hunting grounds?
You better tell this one to Orville Redenbacher, you two might make millions! :mrgreen:


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## inbowrange (Sep 11, 2007)

MASTER BAITER!!!! -_O- -_O- -_O- -_O- -_O- -_O- -_O- -_O-


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## elkfromabove (Apr 20, 2008)

north slope said:


> I have baited and I intend to do it again (bears). I know a lot of people that have baited some and then there are those that are master baiters, they bait all the time. I guess I am just a seasonal baiter, not a master baiter.


 :roll:  Sigh!!! We all knew that was comin'. But what I wanna see is one of those bear master baiters you know in action! That would be the gutsiest permormance ever!!!


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## elk22hunter (Sep 7, 2007)

grunt_smacker said:


> So your saying if I use popcorn as an attractant there will be hot gilrs surrounding me and my hunting grounds?
> You better tell this one to Orville Redenbacher, you two might make millions! :mrgreen:


Orville is very aware of it...........that is why he wears the bow tie............I told him that he would look sexy, when I secretly knew that he would look like a dork and I would have all of the Hotties to myself!


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## Treehugnhuntr (Sep 7, 2007)

I personally do not want to see North Slope pleasuring a bear. But hey, to each his own.


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

north slope said:


> I have baited and I intend to do it again (bears). I know a lot of people that have baited some and then there are those that are master baiters, they bait all the time. I guess I am just a seasonal baiter, not a master baiter.


Get a hold of yourself north slope !!! _O\

You did a fine job on that bear in Idaho, I think your quite a master !!!


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## north slope (Sep 8, 2007)

Maybe I am a master baiter cause I did not even get to bait this year cause the bears really like my bait and would not leave. I guess I am going to have to debate this baiting idea.....


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## elk22hunter (Sep 7, 2007)

north slope said:


> I guess I am going to have to debate this baiting idea.....


If you become good at debating, then you could get your masters in that and become a master debater! Good Luck!


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## grunt_smacker (Sep 7, 2007)

I thought a debaiter was the guy who cleans off your hook when your out fishing? :? 
The bait master is the one who rebaits your hook.



elk22hunter said:


> north slope said:
> 
> 
> > I guess I am going to have to debate this baiting idea.....
> ...


Be careful if your going to try and get your Masters in debaiting because you will get your ASSociates first and that might look a little funny.
Ass. debaiter :shock: 
Bachelor debater 
Master debaiter 8)


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

Boy, this is getting too Phd for me... (piled high and deep) _(O)_


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## martymcfly73 (Sep 17, 2007)

Get a hold of yourself north slope !!! _O\ Good one .45 :!: -_O-


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## luv2fsh&hnt (Sep 22, 2007)

You guys just gave me a great idea. My brother works for a place that sells bagged feed and salt licks and I can buy em cheap.I should have thought about this before. Should I buy whole corn or cracked corn?


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

luv2fsh&hnt said:


> You guys just gave me a great idea. My brother works for a place that sells bagged feed and salt licks and I can buy em cheap.I should have thought about this before. Should I buy whole corn or *cracked corn*?


~Jimmy cracked corn and I don't care ~~
~Jimmy cracked corn and I don't care~~

Use the whole corn, it's easier for the deer to eat and they will love you....


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## north slope (Sep 8, 2007)

Who let .45 turn green??? Now he can edited everything I say! :shock:


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

north slope said:


> That .45 sure is a handsome and smart guy !! I think I love him!!!! :shock:


Oh thanks north slope....  

I think.... -)O(-


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## north slope (Sep 8, 2007)

**O**


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## Treehugnhuntr (Sep 7, 2007)

luv2fsh&hnt said:


> You guys just gave me a great idea. My brother works for a place that sells bagged feed and salt licks and I can buy em cheap.I should have thought about this before. Should I buy whole corn or cracked corn?


Cracked.


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

north slope said:


> **O**


 O-|-O ....sorry.. 

:lol: :lol:


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

Treehugnhuntr said:


> luv2fsh&hnt said:
> 
> 
> > You guys just gave me a great idea. My brother works for a place that sells bagged feed and salt licks and I can buy em cheap.I should have thought about this before. Should I buy whole corn or cracked corn?
> ...


Whole.


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## MeanGene (Nov 18, 2008)

Have any of you tried the "Trophy Rock" brand mineral licks. They are mined in utah from what i've read and are all natural. Just curious if they are worth the money.


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## elkfromabove (Apr 20, 2008)

.45 said:


> Treehugnhuntr said:
> 
> 
> > [quote="luv2fsh&hnt":13p68dlm]You guys just gave me a great idea. My brother works for a place that sells bagged feed and salt licks and I can buy em cheap.I should have thought about this before. Should I buy whole corn or cracked corn?
> ...


Whole.[/quote:13p68dlm]

Whole, 'cause you won't get so many small birds on it and the deer and elk will have to stay there longer to chew. (At least that's one theory.)


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## Treehugnhuntr (Sep 7, 2007)

MeanGene said:


> Have any of you tried the "Trophy Rock" brand mineral licks. They are mined in utah from what i've read and are all natural. Just curious if they are worth the money.


IMO, They don't work any better than the 2 dollar mineral licks from the feed store.

My favorite is Horses muley salad.

-80 lbs. cracked corn.

-1 gallon deerlasses.

-10 lbs. apple jelly.

-5 lbs. deercaine.

Stir with a big stick.


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## EPEK (Sep 11, 2007)

Jimmy cracked corn. But I don't care.


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

Treehugnhuntr said:


> My favorite is Horses muley salad.
> -80 lbs. cracked corn.
> -1 gallon deerlasses.
> -10 lbs. apple jelly.
> ...


Since you put it that way_.....*maybe*_ cracked corn....


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## elk22hunter (Sep 7, 2007)

I used a mineral lick from Redmond Utah out of the mines. I didn't have a manufactured lick to compare to but I also put out a bag of oats and barley, and another bag of cracked corn. I never saw a deer with my trail cam ever eat the grain and were always licking the natural rock. 

I had another good story happen to me while at IFA picking up a bag of corn. I told the 20 year old girl that I needed a bag of cracked corn. I then mentioned that I wanted the kind that Jimmy cracked....................She looked at me funny. I then said, "If Jimmy cracked corn and no one cared then why did they write a song about it?" She still gave me the blank stare. I said "Dont you know the song, Jimmy cracked corn and no one cared?" ..............She sat there for a minute and asked.............."Who sings it?" I about laughed my butt off........What are they teaching the kids in school these days?


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## Bo0YaA (Sep 29, 2008)

Ok 22 so here is a question for ya, in the video you shot of your boy gettin his first deer with a bow eveybody was wonderin why there were so many deer around just hangin out. Did you have a lick near by? If so thats the kind of action Im looking for with my son.


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## elk22hunter (Sep 7, 2007)

I had no salt or mineral licks on that set. All I had was a ground blind set up along a popular route or trail between their bedding area and their watering area.....................................Oh........and some cracked corn. :mrgreen:


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## grunt_smacker (Sep 7, 2007)

So would it be unethical to go pee in the same spot by your treestand, blind, or favorite hunting spot?
If you used the same spot every time you had to go to the bathroom (Only #1) Then you would create your own natural salt lick. -)O(- 
Could you be sited for baiting then?


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## elk22hunter (Sep 7, 2007)

grunt_smacker said:


> So would it be unethical to go pee in the same spot by your treestand, blind, or favorite hunting spot?
> If you used the same spot every time you had to go to the bathroom (Only #1) Then you would create your own natural salt lick. -)O(-
> Could you be *sited* for baiting then?


Only if it was illegal. Since it's not then no harm no foul.


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