Strolling through the hunting section of a sporting goods store or paging through a hunting supply catalog in mid-summer can cause some of us to salivate as we consider new gear for the upcoming season. While we try to fight our conditioned response to purchase the newest and coolest hunting gadgets on the market, our minds sometimes become focused enough to actually question the effectiveness of some products.
Take deer mineral supplements, for instance. Most deer mineral supplements (in the form of blocks, powders, rocks, pellets, nuggets, and liquid) are marketed to attract deer, promote antler and body growth, support reproductive health, increase lactation in does, and enhance immune systems. But do they actually work?
Thanks to trail cameras, personal observation, and successful harvests, many hunters are quick to point out that some deer mineral supplements are successful in attracting deer. However, because many mineral supplements include flavors like apple, corn, acorn, and molasses that appeal to deer, the sweet flavors may be more of an attractant than the minerals. Brian Murphy, chief executive office and wildlife biologist for the Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA), believe that want – not need – drives deer to mineral supplements in some cases. “If you put a salad bar up against a candy bar and let kids go fend for themselves, most of them are going to end up at the candy bar, not the salad bar,” says Murphy. “It’s not because they need it, it’s because they want it.” Deer may react the same way.
In addition to appealing flavors, the high salt content of most mineral supplements can serve as a deer attractant. During times of high-quality plant growth such as spring green-up or summer when rain is plentiful, deer consume an abundance of water-rich and nutrient-rich plants. According to Murphy, their consumption of the rich forage can cause abnormally high levels of phosphorous and potassium, leading to digestive ailments and salt cravings. “The salt is what they’re after [in the mineral supplements], and probably what they need,” says Murphy, “…but it doesn’t hurt that other micronutrients are coming along for the ride.”
Because it is difficult to study free ranging deer, there is little science that fully supports theories that mineral supplementation leads to measurable increases in deer body and antler size. However, studies in livestock show true benefits of mineral supplementation. “Most biologists and deer researchers believe that there is some benefit to mineral supplementation in deer due to ample evidence in livestock that mineral supplementation assists in milk production, forage utilization, and digestion,” says Murphy. However, he points out that mineral supplementation plays a minor role when compared to general nutrition, deer population density, and a deer’s age. Murphy compares deer mineral supplementation to taking a multivitamin. He says, “The act of taking a multivitamin doesn’t in and of itself make up for poor nutrition…it just helps hedge your bet to an overall healthy state.” Regarding deer, he says that taking a multivitamin is not “going to make a yearling buck into a rock star Boone and Crockett.”
Whether your goal of deer mineral supplementation is to attract deer or to give deer a nutritional boost with hopes of growing them bigger with giant antlers, it seems that supplement products can help. If you opt to purchase a deer mineral supplement, Murphy recommends buying supplements that contain calcium, phosphorous, and magnesium. He also suggests buying supplements that have a salt content of at least forty percent, unless the supplements contain added flavors or sweeteners.