Salt Blocks What Color ???.

[hunter1947]

Next week i will be taking my trail cams in to set them up ,last year I used Trace Menial loose salt and over a 5 month period I used 5 ,50 pound bags at 12.00 each bag.

My thoughts is that I by three 10 pound blocks cut them in two pieces each one then put a 3/32 wire through the middle of the block and the other end to a three so they will stay in place.

On my shed hunts this spring I came across three salt baiting stations from last year and what was left from the blocks was very little the color was Orange.

I am debating what color to use blue or orange ??? what do you members that have used the solid blocks of salt think is the best one to get ???? :confused:..

[Elkaholic]

I always go with the orange/red ones which are the ones with trace minerals I believe. Seems to work best for us.

[rocksteady]

I personally don't think that the color/composition makes a tonne of difference. They are mainly after the salt, the other stuff is just a bonus.

Don't bother tying them to anything, just toss them... or you can always bust the living hell out of them, so that the deer/elk have to try to lick it out of the soil.....

You can also use water softner salt, from Superstore, for about $5 for a 50 pound bag...It seems to work just as well...

[cameron0518]

cobalt blue

[835]

hmmmmmmm,,,
where does one get this sort of thing? Feed barns?

[proguide66]

We make monster salt licks up north with used old cape salt with dried blood of 'everything' through it.......elk , bou , sheep and moose lick it up and trash the place , regular fine table salt.
Here I have used the blue blocks , brown ones with salimium , also grabbed a bag of loose salt with salinium and the animals discovered it quicker ( maybe all that fine dust creeped around more?)
Also dumped a few packs of apples and ended up with 300 pics of bears and yotes eating them up.lol

[rocksteady]

hmmmmmmm,,,
where does one get this sort of thing? Feed barns?

In Cranbrook, we can buy salt blocks at Superstore.......A whole pile cheaper than going to our local "feed store", which is outrageously priced...

[huntcoop]

Most of the farmers I know use the blue blocks in their range land. Deer seem to enjoy them as much as the cattle.

[GoatGuy]

Bags work best, wild critters prefer diluted over licking off a block.

[835]

In Cranbrook, we can buy salt blocks at Superstore.......A whole pile cheaper than going to our local "feed store", which is outrageously priced...


I think that is where Cranny and Vic differ! us city blokes dont usually buy salt blocks! our super stores sell food and stuff!
I need to move.

[Brez]

Road or sidewalk salt is cheap and dissolves well. I think the orange/brown stuff is best for animals but I am looking for the one with trace amphetamines. Should keep 'em coming back!

[chris26262]

Buy a 5lb salt lick... blue, red, oragne... which ever. If you want to leave it whole that should work... or place it down where ever your camera is at... walk about 100 yrds in the other direction BOOM! with what ever rifle you have... now you ve vaporized it. Cheaper than the buying the bags and a little bit more fun!

[Drillbit]

Yep, shooting them will bust them up big-time when they're new and dry.

[Slinky Pickle]

The other day I placed a brown one (mineral enriched) and a pink/orange one side by side on my trail cam. When I returned, the brown one was all but gone and the deer had pawed (hoofed???) an 8" deep hole where it used to be just to get every little bit of it. The pink/orange one was untouched.

I use the brown, mineral enriched ones with great success for years but I just wanted to re-confirm that I was using the right stuff. Having said that, it's very seldom that I get a buck or a bull to stop at the salt. I typically get nursing females (deer and moose) at the licks I put out.

I just pick up the little brick sized ones at Buckerfields and smack em' with a hammer to bust them up.

[hunter1947]

Keep it coming some very good input so far..

[Foxton Gundogs]

I always go with the orange/red ones which are the ones with trace minerals I believe. Seems to work best for us.

No doubt about it, after many years of cowboying I have always seen most game around the trace mineral blocks we put out for the horses and cattle rather than the blue cow salt. To clarify I am talking about the brown blocks rather than the pinkish orange ones.

[Moose Guide]

With cattle and horses, the blue block is eaten faster, for wildlife I would use Windsor system saver bags as they seem to prefer it! It may make a difference what kind of minerals are in the area already!

[boxhitch]

47, didn't you ask this ??? last year too ? Has salt changed ?

[The Dude]

Check out Deer Co-Cain, Wayne.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4VrCv_KmOI

Lots of related vids on the side aswell.

Failing that, the BROWN blocks,for sure, and bust 'em up.

[hunter1947]

It makes sense to me not to bust up the salt blocks if I do decide to put solid blocks out if I busted up the blocks then the animals can take the pieces away ..

[hunter1947]

47, didn't you ask this ??? last year too ? Has salt changed ?

I might have asked this question last year but with the amount of posts I put up on this forum can't keep track from a year ago ,if so its good to bring up this thread again for new members that did not see my last years thread regarding salt blocks ,as for my age the memory is not like it used to be when I was in my 40ties LOL..

[.300WSMImpact!]

water softener salts desolve into the ground fast so only you and the animals know where you put them

[silvicon]

Rock salt for me.
Did try red and blue, no result to speak of.
Although had a caribou come into the hores pasture and lick the red one.

[The Dude]

Although had a caribou come into the hores pasture and lick the red one.

Gets pretty lonely in the woods, does it?

:D :D JK ;-)

[frenchbar]

hahahahaha ...the little red 1 ...lol

[scottwh]

A buddy uses red eirlier in the season as they are craving minerals and swithches to blue later on. He gets tons of pics on the trail cam. Weather it really makes a difference, I dont know. I like spreading salt out better.

[J_T]

Buy the brown ones. Selenium blocks. Cut them in half, length wise with a chain saw. They won't roll around as much. If you want to 'create' a lick, use the store bought water softener and combine both.

[greybark]

:-D Quite sad that some Hunting is now reduced to the colour choise of salt blocks . Some hunting skills have been replaced with " Game Farming Skills" without the fences .:-D
Cheers

[hunter1947]

:-D Quite sad that some Hunting is now reduced to the colour choise of salt blocks . Some hunting skills have been replaced with " Game Farming Skills" without the fences .:-D
Cheers

I had seven trail cams out last year and never got ether my WT or elk anywhere near the baiting stations ,licks are mostly to see what animals are in there area I hunt and to get some nice trail cam pictures to boot ,go figure :mrgreen:..

[J_T]

:-D Quite sad that some Hunting is now reduced to the colour choise of salt blocks . Some hunting skills have been replaced with " Game Farming Skills" without the fences .:-D
Cheers Good on ya. Can I quote the 'game farming without fences'? After your physical performance at Rock Creek I'll be your ready to chase bulls in the back country again.

[Drillbit]

Why don't you experiment by puting both out, 5 feet apart, and seeing which one is gone faster/prefered?
Then you'll know for sure. Different areas might have different results?

[hunter1947]

Like I said from the start of this thread I used the loose Trace mineral salt and had very good showing of elk and WT deer and was very expensive coast baiting 7 trail cam stations.

Was some very good input about what I should do I made up my mind that I will go with what has worked good for me using the loose Trace mineral salt that has worked very well for me over the past 3 years.

I will buy and try the block Trace mineral salt I will put the solid blocks in two different locations and you members can see from my trail cam clips on how the blocks work compared to the loose Trace mineral salt ,thanks very much for your opinion on my thread....

[houndsman]

Thay only need the salt & minerals when thay are growing there antlers .when thay shed there velvit thay stop coming to the lick.

[hunter1947]

Thay only need the salt & minerals when thay are growing there antlers .when thay shed there velvit thay stop coming to the lick.

X two you are correct..

[ianwuzhere]

Thay only need the salt & minerals when thay are growing there antlers .when thay shed there velvit thay stop coming to the lick.

I have seen bulls and bucks come to my salt blocks well after their velvet is gone!
Ive tried both the blue and brown blocks- havent noticed any large amount of traffic gain over either colors...

[TheProvider]

I;ve had better luck with brown blocks, and found loose salt came second before the blue blocks. so brown then loose salt then blue. You can get a cple of the small blocks and see which ones work best in your area then buy the bigger ones

[hunter1947]

the last two years putting out salt at my baiting stations I noticed that there is lots of animals coming in to the lick both male animals and female the most action is during the months of June ,July ,Aug when Sept come along the showing of animals coming to my baiting station is cut down 50%.

In Oct I the amount of male animals coming into my salt licks is almost nil I am lucky to get the odd one come into view of my trail cam they just don't show up like they did in the earlier months.

I took out one of my trail cams in late Oct because when I had checked it and reset the memory card to O at the start of Oct then went back late Oct I only had a couple pictures of doe WT deer that was it this location in July took over two thousand picture go to show you that the animals don't want the salt latter on in the year.

In my new 2012 trail thread I will be putting up next weekend you members will see how many animals show up early June to late Nov I will keep a record on all from June till Nov every two weeks that I check the trail cams I will post up the amount of pictures taken every two weeks right on till I take my trail cams out of commission late Nov...

[houndsman]

After thay stop coming to the salt & minerals & all the bears have gone to bed for the winter. you will know where the best bucks are & that is when you start feeding them .I have been doing this for years & you watch the same bucks & bulls grow up year after year & then target the animal that you want.

[greybark]

After thay stop coming to the salt & minerals & all the bears have gone to bed for the winter. you will know where the best bucks are & that is when you start feeding them .I have been doing this for years & you watch the same bucks & bulls grow up year after year & then target the animal that you want.

This is what I refer to as "Game Farming Without The Fences" . I respect that it is legal and am just expressing my opinion .
Cheers

[hunter1947]

I just got back from getting my salt block and feed total coast 54.00 :icon_frow I took 4 clips on how I split the solid block of salt :-D,loading up on You Tube as I post will post the movie clips latter today ,everything went the way I wanted it to go :-D..

[hunter1947]

Hear are the clips I promise3d to show how a salt block is cut in two pieces...

http://youtu.be/7oRvGotq1_c
http://youtu.be/N-my4k58oeM
http://youtu.be/6DiYt1G1qZg
http://youtu.be/KuMqWVdClSU...

[Jeff88]

ive only used the blue ones and i must say they work bam well for mulies ..every 3 weeks i would have 6 to 8 hundred pics

[hunter1947]

ive only used the blue ones and i must say they work bam well for mulies ..every 3 weeks I would have 6 to 8 hundred pics


Jeff88 I have been told by an old cow farmer that worked around cattle all his life all salt blocks different colors work good ,he said that the blue ones he used for the females and calf's during calfing season he said there is a type off mineral that the blue has in it that helps cow produce better milk to feed there calf's ,the brown trace mineral ones he used for the bulls I have to take his word on what he thinks works the best ,for wild game animals I would think what he said would work the same????...

[rocksteady]

I think no matter which ones you use Wayne, it should attract critters. As there really are not super concentrated salt licks like this in nature (there are mineral licks, but not as concetrated...

The farmers advice to you about milk and which the bulls prefer is fine, as long as everything is within a corral, different story once you are out in the wilds...Whichever ones the animals find they will prefer.

I have always taken the big blocks and smashed them to dust, so that it soaks into the ground and the animals have to lick it, like a natural lick, or have even taken the big blocks and set them under a root wad or in a big hole, so that the animals have to try a bit harder to access them...

Dependant on the animals, they will have a preference... My horses love the cobalt blue, but hardly touch a sillenium, don't really care for the trace mineral, and won't even touch the red, iodized....Depends on what theri body tells them that they need...Don't overlook water softner salt either...Cheap and deer/elk seem to like it just fine...

[rocksteady]

This is what I refer to as "Game Farming Without The Fences" . I respect that it is legal and am just expressing my opinion .
Cheers I sense your apprehension about their use, but....

How is it different than finding a natural lick/wallow/water hole and hanging a tree stand over it, versus putting up your tree stand somewhere and placing the salt for them??? Or digging up a small water puddle to create a wallow???

[hunter1947]

I think no matter which ones you use Wayne, it should attract critters. As there really are not super concentrated salt licks like this in nature (there are mineral licks, but not as concetrated...

The farmers advice to you about milk and which the bulls prefer is fine, as long as everything is within a corral, different story once you are out in the wilds...Whichever ones the animals find they will prefer.

I have always taken the big blocks and smashed them to dust, so that it soaks into the ground and the animals have to lick it, like a natural lick, or have even taken the big blocks and set them under a root wad or in a big hole, so that the animals have to try a bit harder to access them...

Dependant on the animals, they will have a preference... My horses love the cobalt blue, but hardly touch a sillenium, don't really care for the trace mineral, and won't even touch the red, iodized....Depends on what theri body tells them that they need...Don't overlook water softner salt either...Cheap and deer/elk seem to like it just fine...


Mike good advice this goes a long way thanks much :-D :)..

[hunter1947]

I picked up two bags of the water softener salt at Canadian Tire store yesterday $6.00 for a 50 pound bag ,will keep all posted on how this salt will work latter on in July..


http://youtu.be/KuMqWVdClSU

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/salt.JPG (http://javascript<strong></strong>:;)

[Deeboe]

We always used the blue ones growing up with the horses. The deer loved them. I recently planted a trail camera a rolled into the nearest highways yard to ask if they mind if i could have some road salt. The guys told me to help myself as my tax dollars paid for it anyways. I ended up carrying 2 5-gallon pails up the mountain and made a good lick. We will see how it turns out when i pick it up this weekend. Some of my buddys in the kootenays have done the same with the road salt but they mix crushed apples with it for the scent.

[bighornbob]

If there are cattle in the area, they will find the salt block. And if they do anything but the 44 pound blocks will be gone in about a weeks time. Trust me I know from experience.

BHB

[BlacktailStalker]

Thats a better price wayne, now you can make several. Remember that natural one on an old road we found last year, that thing was 40 yards across and 3' into the compact rock/sand, unbelievable.

[hunterdon]

Hi Wayne. Just noticed your thread and read all posts. Very interesting and no doubt, many here have had good past results. I also, was quite interested in the past to place mineral licks to attract deer. I have since chosen not to follow down that road. I don't mean to insult you or anyone else here so please don't take it that way. But I do have a question or concern. It is regarding the transmission of disease. Namely CWD (chronic wasting disease).

As you are probably aware of, CWD is a fairly recent disease, apparently discovered first in Wisconsin in November 2002. Since then it has spread quite rapidly to many other states including Saskatchewan and Alberta. It affects not only deer, but elk as well. Some feel that it will only be a matter of time before it shows up here in BC as well. It may very well be here already. It might just be that we have not diagnosed the disease here yet.

So, my question is, Under the circumstances, do you still feel it is OK to put out mineral blocks for wildlife. It has been stated by biologists, that mineral licks are a major source for the spread of CWD?. In fact, many states have now made it illegal to put out mineral licks for deer, for that reason. Below is a link explaining more about CWD and how it is spread.

Again, no mal intent to anyone here, just wondering out loud about the well being of our wildlife population. I am sure everyone here has all good intent, but I think everyone will agree that we don't need anymore ungulate numbers to drop down further in BC.

Cheers......Don

http://www.boonecountyconservationdistrict.org/newsletter/09fall.pdf