Homemade mineral gravy

[TexHunter]

This recipe came from a guy that owned and operated sccoutdoors website (no longer in existence). Price for ingredients may be a little out of date.

Mineral gravy

1 part stock salt
1 part dicalcium phosphate (farmers use this as a feed additive)
2 part trace mineral salt
1 full straw full of vanilla extract


Mix all of the ingredients together. You should be able to find all of these at your local feed store. The cost should be around $25.00 - $30.00 for 200lbs worth for all of the ingredients above. The stock, trace mineral, dicalcium come in 50lb bags. 1 bag stock salt, 1 bag dicalcium, 2 bags trace mineral.

Place this next to a well used trail or as I like to place it in a hallow stump and look out. The deer will really hit this in the spring and summer. It will help digestion and antler growth as well as help lactating does.

[wisecountybuck]

I've used something real close and put some presweetened kool-aid in it. Works like a champ!!

[imanut2]

1 full straw full of vanilla extract

OK...I can get everything else at the local feed stores...but this line has me a little confused...course, that could be because I get too little sleep :D

Do you mean a drinking straw full of vanilla extract? Could I substitute the koolaid for the vanilla?

I cut a trail on our property (heavily wooden with oaks and pines) in WI that leads to the lake and cleared an area at the lake for the deer to drink easily...and have seen lots of signs of use when I've gone up there...wouldn't mind making it a little more enticing...here's a pic I took this spring...I was actually able to get much closer...but the batteries in the camera died out...there were actually three nice sized does...and quite a few turkeys (not including myself) :D

[TexHunter]

Nut a drinking straw is what I'm thinking. Heck, add kool aid too!!! :D

Nice pic. Looks like your area is getting ready for you.

[imanut2]

Actually, I been thinking about this stuff and began wondering (that right there signals danger :D ) if this stuff would attract bears...esp with the vanilla and/or kool-aid...we have black bears in the area although they haven't bothered us...but then, we make sure not to leave anything out that would attract them, etc...and although I wouldn't mind bagging a bear I certainly don't want them to be hanging around our camper...the trail I cut, etc comes within about 30 yards of our camper....

[wisecountybuck]

Don't know anything about bear (we ain't got many in Texas) but the mixture will bring deer and boar. *Never used vanilla extract but now I'm thinking, hummm!!! *I know, I know, very dangerous...

[archer55]

Instead of the vanilla extract, I mix in 50# of dry molasses. Seems to work well.

[TexHunter]

Where do you get dry molasses archer55?

[wisecountybuck]

I never even heard of dry molasses!!

[Tejas Raz]

I've heard of it, but don't have a clue where to get it. Seems like it might have been on an organic gardening show some Saturday morning on our local AM radio.

Time to fess up the secret!

[wisecountybuck]

I did a test with a couple of years ago with "Deer Cane" and "Deer Cane Black Magic". These store bought's are basically the same as the homemade's. Before the test I had put out the reg Cane (no sweetener) and deer would hit it pretty good. For the test I put out both about 40/50 yards apart and the deer hit the "Black Magic" (w/sweetener) hard. I mean walk over the "reg" and dig like crazy on the "BM". I'm sold on making my own but only with sweeteners in it. If you make some up, try it both ways and give us a report.

[archer55]

I get the dry molasses here in Missouri at about any feed store that sells the other products listed. It sells for about $12 for 50 pounds, but you can mix it as you wish. holding some back from the deer gravy mixture would allow you to "sweeten" a stump or old log occasionally, as the deer will lick it no matter where you put it. Find a feed store that mixes their own feed and you'll find dry molasses. It's the "sweet" in the sweet feed that's mixed for horses.