Calcium and phosphorous are two main minerals that are necessary for the growth of deer antlers. Because these two minerals are abundantly found in the antlers of deer but, these are not the only minerals. Many trace minerals also have an essential role in the composition of antlers. However, calcium and phosphorous also play a significant role in the lactation process of milk production and developing bones for growing fawns.
Some people think that these minerals don't affect the growth of antlers, and some are of the stance that providing these minerals to deer can result in the growth of their antlers. However, many other factors are also related to it. Providing the deer with mineral feed doesn't work wonders. You cannot expect the deer to have long antlers by richly providing them with mineral feed only for one season. Antler growth is a complex process that depends on several factors.
Where and How to Place Deer Mineral?
You must be thinking about a place where you can place deer minerals so that deer can actively get benefit from them. The best location to provide the deer with minerals includes bedding areas, nearby water holes, and food plots. Deer feel a craving for the minerals and get attracted to where they can smell minerals. So, placing minerals on their trail to the food plot can create a natural stopping point for them. You can also set the minerals near water holes as after licking minerals, deer crave water.
When you place mineral blocks for deer, you can set up a trail camera to observe the antler growth after months by having their pictures at different times. Try not to create a disturbance, and video mode is a preferred best scent elimination field spray .
How It Boosts Whitetail Deer Health?
Many people use minerals for deer, assuming that minerals are good enough to grow deer antlers. As discussed earlier, this is not the only thing that contributes towards the enlargement of trophy bucks. If you want deer to grow amazing headgear, along with appropriate mineral licks, you should provide them with the food, shelter, and proper environment to grow old. If you cannot provide them with a suitable environment, minerals alone cannot help.
It is a common observation that deer don't lick minerals during hunting season, making it clear that deer need minerals, especially calcium and phosphorous, to grow their antlers. A deer antler is considered to be made up of almost 45% protein and 55% minerals.
If minerals are required for antlers' growth, do bucks need minerals and nutrients during pregnancy or the nursing period. Yes, the answer is that, along with headgear growth, minerals play an essential role in all the animals' overall health, including bucks.
Minerals help them eat in a better way and digest food more quickly. It also plays a role during growth and reproduction. Natural licks are found in areas where the soil is heavy. However, in many places, raw licks are not available, and hence you can create artificial salt licks.