I was just flicking through the Bushwear catalogue that came with my ST last week, and noticed a couple of pages devoted to salt licks and various types of deer attractants.

I've seen them on sale in Cabelas etc. in the States and I admit I scoffed slightly, but I can see how the idea might have merit at times...what are peoples thoughts and experiences on them?

My local farmers supplier has Horse salt licks with various additional flavourings. Packed full of goodness, with elements including copper (don't feed to sheep) these are smaller than a house brick and cost a couple quid each.

Being a culinary type, I've grabbed a couple with apple flavouring and placed them out on tree stumps that in time will take on the salt taste. Let's see how the Reds and Roe take to them.

I will report back - because it does seem as though these things could have some merit.

Rgds Ian

Hi Ian!

You might remember the land in question actually, its my patch near Luton we visited earlier in the year. I was thinking a couple of licks in the two big gullies would be ideal, as I can approach unseen from several directions to allow for wind etc. Copper will be a no-no though, thanks to all the sheep....

If you're going to be up at your Dunstable spot between now and Christmas give me a shout, it would be good to pick your brains again, and you'd be welcome to come and have a bash on my patch.

I bought a couple of salt licks for deer at the Midland a few[3] years ago.
The local[fallow]deer loved them.Being a tight bastard I then went on and bought some horse licks.A whole box of them!!OK only about 2 euro each.
The deer never went near them

Hmmmmm!

Sounds as though my £4 investment may be a cheap lesson in that case.

Will see how things go - however, there is always the option of spent apple pressings from the local Cider manufacturers. I have a sneaking suspicion that those would hit the spot as well!

Rgds Ian

I think someone else, (probably Pete) mentioned the apple thing for fallow. I think at one point he was looking ito buyingconcentrated apple juice from a drinks manufacturer.

Did anything happen with that mate?

To be honest the problem with attractants is that the landowners have given me permission to shoot because they want less deer not more.

Fb

Attractants,

as in apple pressings, is it really ethical to get the deer drunk prior to shooting them?

In Sweden you can get a product called "dank", it´s the remains after suger beets have been processed.

Should one as a farmer buy to much and not use it in time, it will ferment and leave the live stock slightly tipsy after feeding time.

I have been thinking about having some put out on my bait to check ut the results..

Ohh well.

Best regards Chris

I had a couple of farmers in Essex who were 'plagued' with Munties. The little buggers were devastating on crops.

I bought a half dozen horse licks and 4 litres of syrup from the local horse store. Pinned the licks to trees and then poured the syrup over.

They proved irresistable to them.

Strangely, i recently discussed these with Griff recently. He mentioned how he had probs with foxes pissing on them and then the deer being putt off.

We have tried 3 different types of blocks on Arran, the best by a long shot was the apple licks which were intended for horses. they sucked them to a thin slither. We drilled holes in them very carefully as they break quite easily, and then trimmed some sitka spruce back and hung them on rope so that they could swing and not allow them to chew them.They were completely gone in less than two weeks..
I think that you could spend a fortune on blocks,there has to be a cheaper way,or am I just tight fisted.

regards
griff

quote:

Originally posted by ScotsGun:
I had a couple of farmers in Essex who were 'plagued' with Munties. The little buggers were devastating on crops.

I bought a half dozen horse licks and 4 litres of syrup from the local horse store. Pinned the licks to trees and then poured the syrup over.

They proved irresistable to them.

Strangely, i recently discussed these with Griff recently. He mentioned how he had probs with foxes pissing on them and then the deer being putt off.

Flyboy 270 and Myself would be happy to address the addition of copper to your deer stocks!, & I'm very happy to eat deer that have been pre-treated with herbs /syrups & the like, as to your fox problems, just stay out longer!. A verminator a day keeps your foxes away!

Sadly a numpty from the city offered the farmers big bucks to take over the stalking after i returned to Scotland.

I have heard from one of the farmers that they're not happy due to him rarely being there, the numbers exploding and also driving his range rover right across a crop.

I'll be sure to notify those interested here when he's kicked off and the farmers need someone who can manage.

quote:

placed them out on tree stumps that in time will take on the salt taste.

63,

Ian's got the right approach to Salt Blocks used to create a "Lick". It takes a while for the Salt from the block to soak into the wood but using a 6"-10" diameter (hardwood) tree capped off at about head high with the Salt Block affixed to the top and the bark removed or a tree stump (fresh, not an old and already rotting one) is a good start especially if you've got the correct venue within a shooting lane or adjacent to a clearing where deer normally appear. If done correctly it will evetually attract them to the spot anyway, regardless of where it is in their area.

While they will lick the salt blocks the "salted" wood appears to be what they really like and I've seen all kinds of animals come directly to a "lick" and remain there for considerable periods of time.

Gerry,

I belive this set up and pic describes the idea pretty good?



Stolen from http://forum.robsoft.nu/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=61120&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=220,

with consent!!

By the way one can get all kinds of animals to a lick.



And here is a creature that few men have seen in the wild.



a guess anyone?

Trail cams and good salt licks are great tools in managing the game and the predators.

Best regards to you all.

Chris

Could it be a wolverine Chris?

A gold star to Arild, the wolverin, the only mamal ferocius enough to keep a brown bear from stealing it´s prey.

Best regards Chris

quote:

Originally posted by Husqvarna M98:
Gerry,

I belive this set up and pic describes the idea pretty good?



Stolen from http://forum.robsoft.nu/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=61120&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=220,

with consent!!

By the way one can get all kinds of animals to a lick.



And here is a creature that few men have seen in the wild.



a guess anyone?

Trail cams and good salt licks are great tools in managing the game and the predators.

Best regards to you all.

Chris

3 trophies on that stick! That's fantastic, what do they call wolverines in Scandanavia, and the rest of Europe for that matter.

In Italy I think it's Gullo?

D99
In Norway it´s called Jerv.
Pound for pound one of the toughest mammals on the Northern Hemisphere.

In Sweden it´s Järv,

pronounced the same way as in Norway, and yes they are as hard as the come.

/C