question about trophy rocks

[dmoser.270]

I got a couple for Christmas. is it too early to put them out or when is the best time?

 

[duckriver]

Im no expert but I run mine year around. Actually put 4 out today. I refresh each site once every four months. I always try and put it on a north side of a tree so when I put a camera on site its pointing north so the sun doesn't mess pictures up.

 

[Shed Hunter]

I would wait until the summer.

 

[gobblegrunt]

I keep them out all year. All of the rocks are used but a few of them are visited more frequent than others. Guess it just depends on the area you use. Have a friend that has a few out and he says they rarely use them this time of year on his property. Try it out.

 

[Solo Hunter]

It wouldn't hurt to put them out now. I don't know how much they'll hit them now. I always put mine out right after deer season closes along with my salt licks. They really start hitting them hard right about the time temps start warming up in late Feb and March. The Trophy Rocks will get used up several times a year for me. I usually go through 4 a year on each lick.

 

[stik]

as others have said, I keep it out year round. usage drops off as the weather cools but it gets some use all year.

 

[mimitk]

Year around

 

[Bow Hunter]

Same here all year for me also but like others said they do slow down in the winter but pick back up in early spring.

 

[parkerxbowhunter]

I use year round as most say usage drops as cold weather comes here but as soon as them antlers drop them bucks here start hitting it pretty consistently.

 

[ROUGH COUNTRY HUNTER]

year round

 

[timberjack86]

year round

Yeah I noticed the deer on the mountain like them year round but the ones I hunt in the valley will only use them in the summer. :crazy:

 

[dmoser.270]

thanks guys im gonna put em out and see what happens

 

[catman529]

I'm probably gonna put a new one out shortly after season. From what I've seen they like to use it year round. But BSK does say that depends on the local deer herd

 

[HuntFish714]

Now we would be good to top off on the minerals they need after rut, for winter, and start growin antlers. Or atleast have it available to them. Then refresh them when needed. In the past I always poor a couple bottles of water on them to help get the smell out and get it into the ground and its worked great back home for the trail cams.

 

[MUP]

Check out my post just up, well, down now, from this one. They're still hitting mine even with snow on the ground.

 

[BSK]

Personally, I wouldn't put them out until spring. They may be melted away by winter rains. I would prefer they exist April through September.

 

[shaggy]

Go ahead and put them out. Just make sure they will not be sitting in water as they will dissolve quickly. Set it on a stump or throw some small limbs under it and it will last for a while.

 

[LA man]

Year round

 

[Hunter 257W]

I'd only put them out now if you know deer in your area will eat minerals and salt this time of year. Otherwise you are just wasting money. Deer in my area won't touch salt after mid to late October until about April/May.

 

[BSK]

I'd only put them out now if you know deer in your area will eat minerals and salt this time of year. Otherwise you are just wasting money. Deer in my area won't touch salt after mid to late October until about April/May.

This. Using salt now is just throwing away money.

 

[Winchester]

I'd only put them out now if you know deer in your area will eat minerals and salt this time of year. Otherwise you are just wasting money. Deer in my area won't touch salt after mid to late October until about April/May.

This. Using salt now is just throwing away money.

I agree, while the occasional deer might stop by, real usage will be highest in a couple months and forward.

 

[woodchuckc]

I'd only put them out now if you know deer in your area will eat minerals and salt this time of year. Otherwise you are just wasting money. Deer in my area won't touch salt after mid to late October until about April/May.

This. Using salt now is just throwing away money.

It is interesting to see how much variation there is with salt usage from place to place. I keep cameras over my two salt licks year round and I had over 1200 pictures (3 picture burst mode, so actually over 400 camera triggers) over one of the licks last month and over 200 triggers over the other lick with about 90% having deer in the pictures. On my place, deer use the licks year round and there really isn't a huge difference between spring / summer usage and winter usage.
Here are a few samples:

 

[BSK]

woodchuckc,

I should have gone into greater detail on my answer. Yes, in some locations, deer will use salt licks in winter. However, now is not the time to experiment with that, nor attempt to establish new licks. New licks will be found and used most rapidly if they are created in late spring or early summer. Once established refreshing them in winter is fine (if your local deer use them in winter), but I wouldn't recommend trying to establish a new lick in winter.

 

[woodchuckc]

woodchuckc,

I should have gone into greater detail on my answer. Yes, in some locations, deer will use salt licks in winter. However, now is not the time to experiment with that, nor attempt to establish new licks. New licks will be found and used most rapidly if they are created in late spring or early summer. Once established refreshing them in winter is fine (if your local deer use them in winter), but I wouldn't recommend trying to establish a new lick in winter.

Understood, and it makes sense that you would try to establish a new lick at the time of year when the most deer would be seeking a salt source. I just find it interesting that there seems to be such great variation in salt usage from one area to another (especially in the winter) and provided some evidence that at least for established licks in some locations there is considerable usage year round.

 

[Hunter 257W]

I've always wondered about the soils role in the areas where deer crave minerals and salt year round vs. the more normal Spring/Summer time frame. Surely there has to be a connection. Salt and minerals are eaten when an animal starts to crave them and they will only do so if their normal diet is short those nutrients. Or are they just being contrary like my deer that refuse to eat the one No Plow plot while they munch the other plot of the same daily!

 

[BSK]

woodchuckc,

I should have gone into greater detail on my answer. Yes, in some locations, deer will use salt licks in winter. However, now is not the time to experiment with that, nor attempt to establish new licks. New licks will be found and used most rapidly if they are created in late spring or early summer. Once established refreshing them in winter is fine (if your local deer use them in winter), but I wouldn't recommend trying to establish a new lick in winter.

Understood, and it makes sense that you would try to establish a new lick at the time of year when the most deer would be seeking a salt source. I just find it interesting that there seems to be such great variation in salt usage from one area to another (especially in the winter) and provided some evidence that at least for established licks in some locations there is considerable usage year round.

I've seen places just a few miles apart where deer in one location won't touch salt after October, while the other location just down the road, like yours, where deer pound salt all year.

And I have no idea why the dramatic difference exists. I've not been able to identify any "common denominator" between areas of similar salt usage.

 

[wlf89]

i would wait untill about march or april to put them out

 

[JDBinTN]

I would go ahead. Yes the deer concentrate on them more in warm weather but it cant possibly hurt to put them out now.

 

[BSK]

I would go ahead. Yes the deer concentrate on them more in warm weather but it cant possibly hurt to put them out now.

It could hurt if the rain washes away the rock before deer start using it in spring. That would be a wasted rock.

 

[Bodine270]

I have still been seeing deer hit the salt licks all winter this year. Not as heavy as spring and summer but still getting deer on them. Year round.