Roe deer attractants.

pablo.222

Well-Known Member
Has anyone tryed making there own salt lick blocks? i have seen bits on internet myself about hwo they do it in the states but not sure the same ingredients would work on roe deer?(as they use peanuts and sorts) or would ingredients from which the deer are used to be better? or what suggestions would u have for a lick? molasses? corn? syrup? apples? i really dont know. any ideas or tips would be great.
 
Think they sell them ready made on the bushwear website. Might be worth a look as i think they tell you whats in em.

ATB
Daz
 
You get small ones for about a fiver and the large ones for about fifteen quid from bushwear. I have also used the Saltzpaste that they sell which has worked not too badly for me, just make sure you put it on a smooth stick or similar as it is easier to see if the stuff is getting licked, that or a wee bit sand on the ground nearby to see foot traffic. Others may have differing opinions tho.
 
not sure if I agree with the concept if it's to drag them into a 'killing zone', but if it's to help feed them and grow bigger heads via increasing the minerals in their diets, then that's fine - IMHO.... sorry to pass judgement.
 
not sure if I agree with the concept if it's to drag them into a 'killing zone', but if it's to help feed them and grow bigger heads via increasing the minerals in their diets, then that's fine - IMHO.... sorry to pass judgement.
That kind of depends on the situation don't you think, on my own ground here I'm with you all the way, other places I go are small copse type woodlands and replanted young trees are being hammered by roe- the woodland owners desperately want to reduce numbers and need all the help they can get. Personally head size is immaterial to me but a healthy population is obviously the ideal.
 
I have tried apples without much luck they will eat carrots though, I was told they didn't but in last years snow i put some out for the reds who go mad for them.
On more than one occasion i have seen roe at them, but they deffo prefer pheasant feeders to anything else.
This year i set an area of kings deer lawn about £70 for an acre pack, its just starting to take off with lots of chickory, clovers and herbs in there.
Both reds and roe seem to like it, so much that im thinking of throwing some around a couple of rides in the wood just as an experiment. DF
 
Salt lick blocks are there for the deer health, when they need minerals the come to blocks, there not to drag them into a 'killing zone'!!
if you replanted young trees thand are a risk to being hammered by roe put holly bushes between them, the leave the oaks in the winter and takes the holly's first.
Iff you wanna make a good 'killing zone' you can plant a couple off holly bushes(butt keep them short '50cm" the like to eat the young leaves), there atract them like ....... Apples and mais will work good also.
 
I've looked into this recently and there seems to be a lot of evidence that planting certain crops will attract deer, for example 'Perennial Chicory Puma 2' - this is to do with the tannins having an anti-parasitic effect on all animals with a rumen, and the high amount of digestable sugar in the leaves making it very paletable and attractive to them. Just Google 'Seed Mixers or plants to attract deer' and a wealth of information is at your disposal. Most commercial seed merchants will be happy to advice you on a good mixture of perennials, lugumes and roots that are marketed as attracive to deer.

As far as a salt lick is converned: A large bag of salt (say 5 or 10Kg) poored over the soil in an area where there is a natural puddle, mixed in with the soil, will produce an area attractive to deer for a long time. The deer will actually eat the soil once the salt has leached out in the vicinity. Naturally if you prefer to pay a lot more money for a Branded product you'll find it could be almost as good ;) as your home-made salt-lick. It would be wise to get permission from the Landower first!
 
I have tried apples without much luck they will eat carrots though, I was told they didn't but in last years snow i put some out for the reds who go mad for them.
On more than one occasion i have seen roe at them, but they deffo prefer pheasant feeders to anything else.
This year i set an area of kings deer lawn about £70 for an acre pack, its just starting to take off with lots of chickory, clovers and herbs in there.
Both reds and roe seem to like it, so much that im thinking of throwing some around a couple of rides in the wood just as an experiment. DF

Be careful with carrots when I was young we used to feed swedes in the winter, one year the head stalker was offered 10 tons of carrots free of charge, stags loved them only trouble was the next season all the stags antlers were tinged orange,[ carotene]did not go down well with the clients and the head stalker was very close to getting the sack.
 
Buck Jam don't work. I bought a bottle from bushwear three years ago. Left it in the shed. Not had a roedeer in the shed yet. Might take it down the wood one year and try it there to see if it will work outdoors. Would be handy if the deer would go into the shed though. Larder is next door.
jim
 
A lot of reds come down to the roadsides for salt. The salt piles left for the drivers own use attracted 100s in Glencoe.
 
Be careful with carrots when I was young we used to feed swedes in the winter, one year the head stalker was offered 10 tons of carrots free of charge, stags loved them only trouble was the next season all the stags antlers were tinged orange,[ carotene]did not go down well with the clients and the head stalker was very close to getting the sack.

Ah now thats a good warning bogtrotter :doh: did you ever try sugar beet ? i regulary see them eating the leaf wonder if they like the root ? spud's seem to be the favourite crop down here though . DF
 
Ah now thats a good warning bogtrotter :doh: did you ever try sugar beet ? i regulary see them eating the leaf wonder if they like the root ? spud's seem to be the favourite crop down here though . DF

Never tried sugar beet on Reds, but imagine they would be OK with them did see Roe working a field of beet last year
but none grown in my area so don't know if its a favoured food or not.
 
Be careful with carrots when I was young we used to feed swedes in the winter, one year the head stalker was offered 10 tons of carrots free of charge, stags loved them only trouble was the next season all the stags antlers were tinged orange,[ carotene]did not go down well with the clients and the head stalker was very close to getting the sack.

Is it 1st April already?
 
For glogin.

Beta carotene is present in many plants but is strongest in carrots

Beta carotene is what causes pink Flamingos to be pink they are by nature white, its also what causes the fat in chickens to be yellow.

Bete carotene is also in tanning pills one of the down sides complained of by some women who have used them is that their skin has an orange tinge.

Large doses of Beta carotene can cause carotenmia, symptoms being diarrhoea and yellowish or or orange tinge to the skin.

The fact that the stags were fed through the winter and into the spring when the new growth antler had begun, I believe that the Beta carotene was carried in the blood to the growing antler, and probably had a more marked affect because of that.
What ever the reason the stags had a definite orange tinge to their antlers the season following the winter they were fed on carrots.

And thats the case for the defence my lord.
 
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If you are looking to buy salt licks/molases etc I would recommend going to a farm shop or equine place as they are much cheaper than buying from shooting shops.
 
If you are looking to buy salt licks/molases etc I would recommend going to a farm shop or equine place as they are much cheaper than buying from shooting shops.

Thats true but the minerals in licks for deer are differant than for cattle to help with antler growth

Mark
 
For glogin.

Beta carotene is present in many plants but is strongest in carrots

Beta carotene is what causes pink Flamingos to be pink they are by nature white, its also what causes the fat in chickens to be yellow.

Bete carotene is also in tanning pills one of the down sides complained of by some women who have used them is that their skin has an orange tinge.

Large doses of Beta carotene can cause carotenmia, symptoms being diarrhoea and yellowish or or orange tinge to the skin.

The fact that the stags were fed through the winter and into the spring when the new growth antler had begun, I believe that the Beta carotene was carried in the blood to the growing antler, and probably had a more marked affect because of that.
What ever the reason the stags had a definite orange tinge to their antlers the season following the winter they were fed on carrots.

And thats the case for the defence my lord.

The antlers are naturally white, you can see that if you ever shoot an animal in velvet and boil it. The colour of the antlers depends on what's the animal frayed. Hence the variety of shades and colours, from light to very dark, depending on surroundings and available trees, bushes, vegetation, etc. I cant see how they had "orange tinge" unless they frayed a big carrot :eek:, but if you say so... You learn something new everyday. :D

ATB

Greg
 
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