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Inexpensive Deer Attractant Secrets©
DIY Deer Hunting
I come from a background of 3 generations of bakers, my grandfather baked bread at Sunbeam
Bread, my father still runs a bakery/sweet shop and I myself came up with sweet concoctions for
over 3 years of baking at my own sweet shop. I’ve also spent tons of money through the years as
I’m sure you have, buying expensive specialty deer feed and attractants only to discover through
research and mixing my own concoctions that I CAN do most of it myself CHEAPER! There’s
really no need to spend $50 or even $35 on 25lb’s of special vitamin/mineral blended to grow
bigger racks! Or, spend $8 on a ‘liquid peanut butter’; and certainly no need to spend $8 on a
gallon of sweet stump licking stuff! In this e-document I’m giving you some unique ways to
grow big, healthy deer with big racks at a fraction of the cost you’d spend on the specialty retail
products! The proof is in the pudding! In this case, your game camera will give you that proof in
a very satisfying way!
Now for the first time, we’re including our own recipes for some of our popular Bucklick Brand
products that we launched in 2006. I think you will find this information a most valuable tool in
pursuing your favorite big game! Below you will find recipes with illustrative pictures for Deer
Granola Bars – one of the healthiest attractants for deer, bear and turkey. You will also find a
recipe for Buck Crack and Licker’s Top Fuel, both excellent, healthy deer attactants and again
ideas that many of you may not have thought of but with ingredients that the ‘home brew’ DIY
deer hunter can easily access. I’ll tell you where I bought the ingredients and how much I paid!
We’ve carefully tested these recipes for several deer hunting seasons and they’ve worked great at
different times of the year!
In order to effectively supplement and attract, we must first understand deer nutrition. If the
products/foods you give your deer do not contain added vitamins and minerals, then you are
wasting your money and not giving your deer the balanced nutrition they need to achieve their
fullest genetic potential. We’ve done our homework! Here’s what we found out about deer’s
nutritional needs:
Vitamins
Vitamins are very important to the deer’s diet because the organic compounds are needed to
support all the deer’s life stages. The level of vitamins A, D & E in your feed manages the deer’s
absorption of calcium and phosphorus affecting not only their skeletal structures and teeth, but
also the buck’s rack growth and the does fawning nutrition. Let’s face it a lot of hunters are
becoming to deer management what farmers are to cattle management. We want the highest
quality product we can get, and that’s large healthy bodies on our deer and we want large racks
on our bucks. Along with the right genetics, here’s what deer need:
1. Vitamin A – The naturally occurring molecule also called retinoid. Affects the deer’s
immune system, cellular function, normal vision, healthy skin and maintenance of the
digestive and reproductive systems.
2. Vitamin D – Responsible for getting the all important bone builders – calcium and
phosphorus where they can aid bone health, plus antler development and growth. Without
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this key nutrient as part of your deer supplemental feed program you will NOT grow
larger racks, so make sure your supplemental feeds contain vitamin D!
3. Vitamin E – Boosts the deer’s immune system to fight off infectious diseases, helps
them deal with stressful periods such as harsh winters, droughts and post rut stress, and
also is an antioxidant which is associated with selenium.
Minerals
Minerals are important in a deer’s diet because they are essential to antler, bone and tooth
development, plus hormone activation and water balance.
Macro Minerals: Minerals that are needed in large amounts, includes; calcium, phosphorus,
potassium, magnesium, sodium and sulfur.
1. Calcium – Absorbed through the small intestines then into the bloodstream. Combines
with phosphorus to help harden crystal-like substances that create the foundation which
strong antler, bone and teeth are developed.
2. Phosphorus - The second ½ of antler, bone and teeth formation combined with calcium.
Important to help regulate the release of energy that fuels the deer’s body. Most of a
deer’s phosphorus content is located in their bones. You don’t want your bucks pulling
nutrition out of their bones to grow their racks, hence the need for supplementation.
3. Potassium – Critical to proper pH balance and an aid in digestion. Along with sodium
chloride helps to form electrolytes, electrically charged ions that make up a deer’s bodily
fluids.
4. Magnesium – Used to make sure calcium is used properly in the body, needed for strong
teeth and bones. Helps turn food into energy, assists nerves and muscles.
5. Sodium – A natural carrier needed for trace minerals. Helps with absorption of amino
acids. Animals naturally desire the sodium and chloride found in salt, more so than any
other mineral.
6. Sulfur – Helps in the digestion of foods, found in tendons, ligaments and cartilage.
Trace Minerals: Minerals needed in much smaller amounts by deer. They are copper, iron,
zinc, manganese, cobalt, iodine and selenium. These minerals are tied to all systems within the
deer’s natural development.
Seasonal Deer Nutrition Needs
Spring
Pregnancy/Birth and New Antler Growth
- Courtesy of Quality Deer Management Association – www.QDMA.com
Spring forage is critical for whitetails since adults can lose 15 to 30 percent of their body weight
during winter. Rigors of the rut and winter take their toll on bucks and they are second only to
fawns to succumb to winter mortality. Bucks begin growing new antlers in spring, but antler
growth is secondary until body resources lost in winter are replenished.
Whitetails have a relatively long gestation (about 200 days) and does have increased nutritional
demands during spring. Although breeding occurs during autumn, over 80 percent of fetal
growth and 90 percent of the energy spent on gestation occurs during the final trimester. In
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northern regions, new antler growth and the last trimester begin in April and correspond to spring
green-up.
Spring foods high in protein and energy are necessary to meet the increasing nutritional
demands. Spring foods include green leaves and stems of woody and herbaceous plants, leftover
mast, forbs, and legumes. In northern regions, preferred deciduous woody plants include red,
white and black oak, yellow and white birch, and red maple. Preferred herbaceous plants include
Canada mayflower, raspberry, and blackberry. Preferred mast includes acorns, beechnuts, apples,
crabapples, grapes, and blackberries. Preferred forbs and legumes include chicory, clover,
alfalfa, and trefoil.
Summer
Fawn Growth, Lactation and Antler Growth
- Courtesy of Quality Deer Management Association – www.QDMA.com
Fawns are born as spring turns to summer. Does now require even more nutrition as lactation is
two to three times more costly than gestation. Their nutrient-rich milk contains about 78 percent
water, eight percent fat, eight percent protein, five percent sugar, and one percent ash, and has
twice the protein and energy per unit volume as cow’s milk. Undernourished does still produce
nutrient-rich milk but at reduced rates. Well-nourished does with twins generally produce 67
percent more milk than does with single fawns.
Fawns have very high energy demands. They weigh five to 10 pounds at birth, will double their
weight within two weeks, and can triple it within a month. Fawns depend heavily on their
mother’s milk for nutrition the first two to three months but can survive exclusively on
vegetation by around two months of age.
Maximum antler growth occurs during summer and is directly linked to nutrition. Bucks with
access to high-quality nutrition have significantly larger antlers than those on poor quality diets.
Minerals are also important for antler growth. Hardened antlers consist of 54 percent minerals,
45 percent protein, and one percent fat. Calcium and phosphorus are the most abundant minerals
and occur in a 2:1 ratio. Deer get calcium and phosphorus from their diet and from reserves in
their bones. Bucks store these minerals prior to the antler growing season for use during summer.
A good way to ensure bucks are receiving enough calcium and phosphorus is to provide mineral
licks. Although there is no scientific data showing measurable benefits to free-ranging deer, there
is evidence of benefits from the livestock industry. Mineral licks can be created every 100 to 150
acres and should include a granular mix (not a block) of calcium and phosphorus in a 2:1 ratio,
trace minerals, and salt (<50% of mix).
Autumn
Pre-Rut and Rut
- Courtesy of Bass Pro Shops – www.basspro.com
Fawns: The nutrient requirements of fawns are high due to the stress of weaning. Fawns must
fend more for themselves during the onset of rut when does may be separated from fawns for
several days by the dominant buck.
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High levels of carbohydrates and fat are necessary for the energy to find food and to
reach an optimum level of body condition before the onset of winter.
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Fawns require the proper balance of Calcium, Phosphorus, and other minerals for skeletal
growth.
Vitamins and minerals are needed to meet the demands of a growing body and to support
a healthy immune system.
Does: For greater reproductive performance, the doe requires higher levels of
vitamins and minerals. Better body condition leads to a greater chance of conception during the
fi rst estrous cycle and a shorter recovery time after the physical demands of the rut.
Bucks: Bucks demand high levels of vitamins and minerals for proper reproductive function.
Optimum body condition must be reached before the rut; high levels of protein contribute to the
necessary muscle growth, and fat and carbohydrates provide energy. The physical demands of
fighting and breeding require high levels of vitamins and minerals. Rutting bucks are on the
move for many hours without eating. They need high levels of quality nutrients in a short period
of time.
Winter
Post Rut and Recovery
- Courtesy of Bass Pro Shops – www.basspro.com
This phase occurs during harsh conditions which demand available energy just to stay warm.
Immune systems are stressed and require vitamins and minerals for proper function.
Fawns: Fawns are self-reliant, and survival depends upon proper nutrient intake. The stress of a
wet, cold climate, coupled with limited available forage, makes this a critical period for
supplemental nutrition.
Does: During this time, does are recovering from the demands of raising faw(s),
the rut, and are in the early stages of pregnancy. Demands for vitamins and minerals for fetal
development are high. Does with proper nutrition in early pregnancy will raise a new generation
of fawns better than the last.
Bucks: Bucks must recover body condition and gain weight when the climate is harsh and the
natural diet is limited. Without proper supplementation during this phase, the growth of new
antlers may be hampered and the buck will not reach his full genetic potential.
Tools
A couple very useful tools to assist with deer food processing that may be useful to you or you
may even already have them.
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Grain/Flour Mill: You can buy a new hand crank version from $80 to a new electric
version for around $250 depending on brand. I bought an old used Magic Mill on eBay
for around $120 plus shipping. They can go for a lot more than that on eBay, it just
depends on how many other buyers are interested. After having used this primarily for
my supplemental deer feed, I would NOT be without it! I have ground Calcium
Carbonate and mineral salt into fine powder, corn and soybeans into both fine and
cracked varieties. Deer are pretty much like us, make it easy for them to eat and they’ll
tear it up!
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Small Electric Cement Mixer: You don’t need a huge one, but if you have access to a
small electric cement mixer you can mix volumes of ingredients together at one time.
One of the best deals you can get for one is at Harbor Freight. We have a retail outlet near
us but you can also check: www.harborfreight.com and see if they will ship to you or go
into a retail outlet. They have a 1.25 cu ft. mixer for $139.99; sometimes go on sale for
just $99.99! See, you can justify it by getting it for those small home projects to your
wife while using it for deer feed at other times!
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Other Common Tools Used: Other very helpful tools I’ve used at home are a large
capacity food processor, large kitchen mixer, vacuum packaging machine, drill and drill
bits, lots and lots of miscellaneous bowls/storage containers of all sizes and varieties from
plastic to stainless steel.
Ingredients
1. Vitamin/Mineral Supplement: Go to the nearest Tractor Supply Company store
(TSC store) and buy the Dumor Spring Mineral - $12 or so per 50lb bag, contains
minimum 11% calcium, 3% phosphorus, and 13.5% Magnesium, the ‘Big 3’
building blocks in big deer racks, at an AWESOME price! The mix also contains a
minimum 17% Salt, along with Zinc, Vitamin A, D, and E! This will not only be a
great attractant but will also help the deer to be healthy! Bucks will build better
racks and does will have better nutrition during the fawning season. This mix also
has some molasses in it, if your deer don’t take to it right away, our deer did, but if
yours do not then mix a little extra granulated molasses in with it (see below). If you
can’t find a TSC store close enough to you then go to a local feed ‘n’ seed (FnS) and
see if they have something similar or can get it in; most are very willing to help. The
main thing is loose mineral salt WITH the vitamins! Tractor Supply website:
http://www.mytscstore.com/
Usage Tip: I’ve used this mineral extensively and the deer just kill it especially during
the spring and summer months! Clear out an area 4’ in diameter down to the dirt, loosen
the dirt slightly, then dump the bag into the new mineral site, take a rake and lightly rake
the top soil and mineral lightly together and deer will eventually paw for more! I can’t
put out enough!
The following picture is of a mineral/feed site that was in place for around 6 months.
Notice everything is pretty well pawed back from the center with hoof prints in the upper
center. This is a site I did not ‘clean up” before using! You also can see the mineral still
somewhat on the ground, its lighter brown around the peripheral. The dark brown is the
granulated molasses. The last feed mixture was put down around 4 days prior to the
picture; it looks visited regularly! It will be clean within a few more days and will need
more!
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2. Corn:
Corn, what can I say about it! Deer love it and some of our vehicles
can use its byproduct, ethanol as fuel, which has really played havoc with recent
pricing! Corn has around 8% protein in its composition. I have bought many bags
(cracked and whole) at TSC, however due to frequent price fluctuations everywhere
lately; check around before you buy it. I’ve recently seen the cost as much as $8.50
per bag! Another option, check with a local farm, they may be cheaper. I can buy
the 55 gallon drum size of loose corn through my local farm. I also found a local
Discount/Budget type of scratch & dent grocery store that is carrying 50lb of deer.
So do not rule these potential sources out! Of course, if you live in corn farm
country then a local corn grower will probably cut you the best deal!
Usage Tip: I actually mix my minerals and/or molasses with the corn to coat it, the deer
get the minerals they need along with vitamins all year long. Again, deer need vitamins
ALL year long! Deer will readily eat this!
3. Soybeans: At around 35%+ protein, you can’t go wrong with this legume! You
want either the whole soybean or the cracked. I’ve bought 50lb bags at a nearby
True Value Hardware store that carries the feed and seed stuff for around $12 a
bag, not bad. Again, a local farmer may be able to save you a few dollars on this
purchase as well.
Usage Tip: I’ll mix the soybeans in with the corn and either the mineral above and/or the
granulated molasses (see below). Unless you live near soybean fields, I’d start by mixing
in the soybeans a little at a time, most deer have to get used to the soybean taste. You
may have some left while all the corn is gone initially. That’s fine; they do adjust to the
taste to the point where they’ll just eat it all! Then over time mix more of the soybeans in
since it has more protein than does corn, it is more beneficial to the deer.
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4. Granulated Molasses: What do I need to say about this natural sweetener!
Deer LOVE it and they will seek it out! The molasses will make both the corn and
soybeans more palatable and desirable. I’ve bought the dried, granulated molasses
from our local feed and seed store for as low as $9 per 50lb bag.
Usage Tip: This is one of the things I’ll mix in dry with corn to coat it before I throw it
out for the deer to eat. I’ll also add granulated molasses and mineral to the corn/soybeans
in a deer feeder. I normally use just the minerals to coat throughout the spring and
summer especially during rack growing season, and then in August or September I’ll add
in dry molasses with the corn. I’ll also switch my vitamin mineral lick sites to
molasses/mineral lick sights at that time, sweeten them up! Once you try this you’ll want
to check it out right after the first rain; just after you make the switch to molasses; you
can generally smell the molasses wafting in the air on a dewy, drizzly day! Deer will too!
Usage Tip: I will also heat it on the stove in a large pan with water and little corn oil to
liquefy it until its fairly smooth, and then I bottle it in empty gallon milk jugs to take to
the woods. Once liquid you can pour it in an empty stump; over a dead log and watch the
wood disappear! It can also be poured on the ground on one of your mineral sites. As a
deviation add some salt or mineral to the mixture!
5. Peanut Butter:
Deer love this stuff! Whatever form you give it to them! With 8
grams of protein and 15 grams of fat per 2 TABLESPOONS this will not only give
them energy, but also will help them to put on some good weight! I’ve bought mine
at a local ‘scratch and dent’ grocery store the cheapest. We’ve paid as low as $2 for
a 28oz jar which rivals even warehouse club pricing!
Usage Tip: I take an 18oz or larger plastic jar, twist off the lid take it to the woods along
with a cordless screwdriver and drywall screw. I screw the lid into the tree with the
threads facing out, and then I take the bottle and use a razor knife and cut the whole
bottom of the plastic jar out leaving the seal on the top. I’ll then screw the jar to the lid on
the side of the tree with the bottom of the open plastic jar facing out. If it does not get hit
for a day or so then scrape off the stiff part and they’ll go after it again. Worst case
scenario on this idea; if your deer are not taking to it fast enough, I add a small amount of
syrup/molasses or honey to the peanut butter to where it’s sweetened a little more, but
still a little stiff. When they find it, the deer will eat it out until they get all the peanut
butter out, it will look like you washed it clean!
The following picture is a jar I put out not much more than 12 hours before the picture
was taken, screwed the lid to the tree. You can see they already found it, look at the
tongue mark in it! Started swirling their tongues around the end! It’s about 30” or so off
the ground. It will be licked clean soon! Used the crunchy peanut butter variety!
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Usage Tip: Another idea I use with great success is to mix the peanut butter with cheap
pancake syrup, your liquid molasses from above or honey. You can buy staples like this
at the local grocery ‘scratch & dent’ outlet the cheapest. Again, those are the places that
have out of date items or scratch and dent type groceries, but honestly deer don’t care if
it’s a week or a month out of date or if the can or jar is dented in on one side! Anyway,
mix the peanut butter with pancake syrup (I pay $1 for 24oz) until it is pretty thin; then
pour it over a dead fallen tree dispersed in a long line (puts out the scent further) and it
will bring the deer back time and time again to that spot because now it’s got attraction
power!
Usage Tip: Get out the kitchen mixer, scrape out the peanut butter from the plastic jar
(I’d use the large 4lb jar variety for this shown in pictures below, with creamy peanut
butter), mix it with pancake syrup (again, the cheap variety) or you mix/honey/corn
syrup/molasses or any combination until it is fairly runny (you may need to experiment
with the proper consistency, see pic). Take the peanut butter container’s plastic jar lid,
buy a small eyebolt from a local hardware store, you’ll need 2 nuts and a couple washers
for it. Drill a small hole in the middle of the lid, thread one of the nuts on the eyebolt,
slide washer on then put it in the hole you just drilled, put the other washer on it
underneath, then the last nut, you now have a hanging lid! Put the peanut butter mixture
back into the plastic jar until full (store the rest in the refrigerator which will inhibit mold
and refill as needed), take it to the woods with a small rope hang the jar from a branch,
take a knife and cut a small hole or 2 in the bottom of the jar until peanut butter seeps out.
Using gravity, the peanut butter should now drizzle out over time. You’ve now just made
your own homemade sweetened liquid peanut butter attractant!
If you have trouble getting the peanut butter to slowly flow put a few additional small
holes in the lid, just not enough to weaken it (I didn’t have to do this), also maybe you
need to again check the consistency – may be too stiff. As long as the jar holds up this is
a reusable system! Be careful how you place this in bear country, they love it too! You
didn’t pay $8+ for a small bucket, you paid maybe around $6 or so and you should have
nearly twice the quantity once mixed!
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6. Feed Oats: I buy where convenient; normally my local feed and seed will carry it.
I buy 50lb bag of rolled oats for around $11.55 at my nearby feed and seed store.
Oats have 11% - 14% protein, along with soluble fiber and Beta Glucan - this
makes deer VERY healthy and is highly palatable! Beta Glucan is a property in the
oat that helps to build their immune system, which can ONLY be a healthy benefit
for your deer herd! The whole oats are cheaper, but according to a study I read
done by Ohio State University - animals have better gains with the rolled variety
over the whole oats.
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Usage Tip: Mix the oats with corn and soybeans along with the loose vitamin mineral
and molasses and you will have a dynamite and highly nutritious feeding site that will be
hard to beat! If your hunting area has high deer numbers; you should see the mix
disappear quickly!
7. Stabilized Rice Bran:
I have bought this for as little as $18 for a 50 pound bag
at the local feed & seed. This ingredient is being touted as THE ingredient to get in
front of your deer! The HEALTHY buck at the end of this document was caught
munching on this in mid November when his picture was taken!
Rice bran is a Super Food when it comes to nutrition for deer! You do NOT want to
buy just plain ‘rice bran’ you want to buy the ‘Stabilized’ version as plain rice bran
does not have a long shelf life at all, and will quickly go rancid because of the
natural plant oil, so make sure it reads and you ask for ‘Stabilized’ rice bran.
To view a forum discussion on SRB try this link:
http://www.deer-forums.com/discus/messages/5/2923.html?1138323884
SRB is a very palatable food for the animal AND is a great source of high energy plant
based fat! Most fat levels for this product are between 14 – 23% depending on the brand.
It also contains 12.5%+ of protein much MORE than corn and combined with calcium
carbonate and phosphorus it makes the perfect deer food to grow bigger and BETTER
deer! The SRB that I bought was of the horse variety namely Seminole Feed’s Ultra
Bloom. Other manufacturers are of course Purina, NutraCea, Rice-X and Producer’s Rice
Mill’s Equi-Jewel. Most of these will come with the added calcium and phosphorus, if
they do not then add a calcium carbonate and add the loose mineral mix for the
phosphorus. If the SRB comes in a pelleted variety like mine did, I simply put it into the
food processor and within a minute it is powdered. I use SRB in a recipe that I will list
below.
I also bought this in a 50 pound bag at a local feed &
8. Calcium Carbonate:
seed for just around $5. It looks like little loose gray pellets that make up a concrete
block. I grind this to a fine powder in the grain mill to mix with the SRB or any
other supplement that I want to increase the calcium during the spring/summer
antler growing and fawning period.
A good way to get deer attracted to a certain area is to get something
9. Acorns:
they LOVE to eat! One of their natural foods is acorns; more specifically they love
white oak acorns above all other varieties. Even if you hunt primarily in pines you
can scoop up some acorns from local trees near where you live, put them in a sack
and take them to your hunting woods. Now, you can certainly take them to the
woods whole or you can create a super mix by putting them through your grinder
and grinding them into either a semi-crunchy substance or even a fine flour-like
substance. I personally grind them fairly fine and mix with SRB from above and
with corn or soybean meal. This will help make a super HIGH energy attractant
that is very palatable that deer will immediately pattern their travels to. I’d grind
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and mix the substance then bag it or place in a tub and take it to your hunting area
in advance of deer season if possible. You may even want to gather a couple bags of
the acorns and keep them whole stored in a cool dry place until the first part of the
next season where I’d get them out in advance of the local acorn drop. This will fire
up the deer and get them coming to your stand site and increase your odds of early
season success!
10. Animal (Horse) Feed Pellets: Ever wonder why the leading supplemental deer
feed manufacturers charge so much for their specialty deer pellets? If you looked at
most pricing you will find that you can get a 12% allstock sweet animal pellet for
less! It might not have quite the 18% or so level of protein, but if you are feeding the
12% pellet along with some of your other high protein mixtures above then you are
probably averaging 18%+ protein ingestion! Don’t pay $10 - $15 per bag for the
deer version, I picked up a 50 pound bag of Allstock Sweet 12% feed that regularly
sold for $6.98 marked down to $2.98 at TSC! The bag was a little torn maybe with a
couple pounds missing and it was taped up, but the deer didn’t mind! Be careful the
pellets you choose does not have animal byproducts – the label should read
‘Ruminant Meat and Bone Meal Free’. If it does not then pass it up, these
byproducts have been known to cause Mad Cow and other diseases. Also select a
feed that has multiple vitamins in it. This is another great way to cost effectively
supplement your deer’s diet especially in the critical off season when does are
fawning and bucks are growing their racks.
Storage:
You can store your custom mixes in plastic tubs with lids on them to keep
them fresh or the used bags the corn and other ingredients came in. Another idea, you can use
a new trash can with lid and wheels to store your ingredients so as to make it easier to mix
and transport. If you take your ingredients with you to your hunting land to mix there the tubs
might be easier to transport the various ingredients.
BUG Warning! Check your stored corn, oats and stabilized rice bran, especially during the
summer! I’ve had some trouble with a small, black crawling bug that resembles a small
elongated spider but with short legs. These little critters can eat the corn from the inside out
and produce BIG numbers in a short time. If you are seeing a lot of powder in your bag of
corn, look out! They may be in there! Normally when you open the bag you will see them
start to crawl to the surface, they will eat a 50 pound bag of corn or oats in SHORT order! I
know this is a pain, but to kill the bugs and/or their eggs when I buy the bags of corn in the
spring/summer I will put them in the freezer for a week or so, if I don’t need the freezer
space I’d leave them in the freezer awhile, freezing or refrigerating them seems to kill the
bugs.
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Recipes for Deer Granola Bars
The most popular bars purchased were the Peanut Butter flavor followed by the Apple Raisin, try
all 3 flavors to see what your deer, bear or turkey like. I’ve given you the ‘single’ recipe which
will make more than a single 7 pound bar and then either a 6x recipe or a 4x recipe depending on
the product. You can certainly ½ any of the recipes and make whatever size you wish. Bars have
a loose consistency which I ‘cooked’ in a turkey fryer, works great for that! Just be careful to stir
the bottom of the pot frequently during the heating process as the molasses will tend to stick.
Once produced, either freeze them or refrigerate them to help preserve them as the recipe does
not have any preservative other than what might be in the individual ingredients. This also helps
to solidify the mixture which makes it easier to disperse at your favorite feed site. Again, I get
most of these food ingredients from a local discount/bargain-type of scratch & dent grocery store
at VERY discounted prices, a lot of times cheaper than what you’d pay at a foodservice vendor! I
also get the corn, oats, vitamin/mineral salt and molasses from a local feed and seed, the
soybeans I get from a local farm or a feed and seed store.
I think I have maybe $3.86 per 6 pound ‘bar’ in raw material costs not counting the packaging,
compared to as much as $12 each for inferior commercial crunch-type products!!! You do the
math; even if you buy the ingredients from a regular grocery store you shouldn’t have much
more than $5 in each!
I specifically tested this peanut butter granola recipe against a popular crunchy peanut butter
flavored commercial product and I have to say mine was truly gone within a few days of deer
finding it, even sitting side by side next to one another on the ground the crunchy commercial
product was still somewhat there after a week, the granola was totally gone! Freshness counts,
and when you make it fresh yourself, you can bet deer will be all over it until it is ALL gone and
you will save $$$!!!
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Peanut Butter
1 Qt Distilled Water
2 Cups Granulated Molasses
1 Cup Loose Vitamin/Mineral Sup
14 oz Peanut butter
12 oz Pancake syrup – Cheap Brand
Approx. 10 cups of Soybean/Corn 1/2 mixture
2 cups of rolled Oats
½ Jar of Marshmallow Crème (Optional)
x6
1.5 gal
3.5#
3.25#
3 – 28oz jars
3 – 24oz jars
21# - Approx.
1.75#
3 Jars
Heat water on a low flame for a few minutes, pour in molasses and loose salt/mineral
supplement, let heat for a few more minutes until mixture is steaming, put in the marshmallow
crème and peanut butter, heat for about 5 minutes more or until mixture is thoroughly melted
together. Take off burner, let stand for 15 to 20 minutes or until thoroughly cooled; add in
corn/soybean and oats, mixing very thoroughly with a large spoon, spatula or stick. Use
additional corn, soybeans and oats to get a loose but full consistency, should not be real soupy.
Using a large spoon, scoop mixture into Foodsaver bags weighing 7 pounds of mixture, vacuum
package and put in freezer or refrigerate until needed.
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Apple Raisin
1 Qt Apple Juice
2 Cups Granulated Molasses
1 Cup Loose Vitamin/Mineral Sup
7 1/2 oz of Raisins
2 Lg Apples chopped or 12oz Apple Sauce
Approx. 8 cups of Soybean/Corn ½ mixture
2 cups of Rolled Oats
1 Cup Corn or Vegetable Oil
½ Jar of Marshmallow Crème (Optional)
x4
2 – 64oz Bottles
2.25#
2#
2 – 15oz boxes
1 – 50oz jar or 8 apples
12# - Approx.
1.75#
4 Cups
2 Jars
Heat juice and raisins (heating raisins with the juice will PLUMP them up big time, a nice sweet
treat for our deer to eat) on a low flame for a few minutes until steaming but not boiling, pour in
oil, molasses and loose salt/mineral supplement, let heat for a few minutes again until steaming,
put in marshmallow crème and chopped apples or sauce, heat for about 5 minutes until mixture is
thoroughly melted together. Take off burner, let stand for 15 to 20 minutes or until thoroughly
cooled; add in corn/soybean and oats, mixing very thoroughly with a large spoon, spatula or
stick. Use additional corn, soybeans and oats to get a loose but full consistency, should not be
real soupy. Using a large spoon, scoop mixture into Foodsaver bags weighing 7 pounds of
mixture, vacuum package and put in freezer or refrigerate until needed.
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Wild Berry
1 Qt Cranberry or Grape Juice Mixture (Variety Choice)
2 Cups Granulated Molasses
1 Cup Vitamin/Mineral
1 16 oz Can Cranberry Sauce or – Alt cheap Jelly(Grape)
1 Box of Berry Flavored Jello
Approx. 10 cups of Soybean/Corn ½ Mixture
2 Cups Rolled Oats
1 Cup Corn or Vegetable Oil
½ Jar of Marshmallow Crème (Optional)
x4
2 – 64oz Bottles
2.25#
2#
4 - 16oz Cans/Jars
4 Boxes
15# - Approx.
1.75#
4 Cups
2 Jars
As far as the juice is concerned choose whatever is cheap or on sale, I could always find either
Grape or Cranberry juice at the discount store in 64oz bottles for around $1.29. Heat juice and
jelly/sauce on a low flame for a few minutes until steaming but not boiling, pour in oil, molasses
and loose salt/mineral supplement, let cook for a few minutes again until steaming, put in
marshmallow crème and jello, heat for about 5 minutes until mixture is thoroughly melted
together. Take off burner, let stand for 15 to 20 minutes or until thoroughly cooled; add in
corn/soybean and oats, mixing very thoroughly with a large spoon, spatula or stick. Use
additional corn, soybeans and oats to get a loose but full consistency, should not be real soupy.
Using a large spoon, scoop mixture into Foodsaver bags weighing 7 pounds of mixture, vacuum
package and put in freezer or refrigerate until needed.
This deer treat is a somewhat salty/sweet treat that is nutritious for deer, high protein, high
carbohydrates and high plant based fat all equals healthy body weights, larger yearlings and
heavier, more developed racks.
Recipe for Buck Crack:
3# Loose Vita/Min Salt - TSC
1.50# White or Powdered Sugar
1# Granulated Molasses or Brown Sugar
.5# Calcium Carbonate
Grind the vitamin/mineral salt & calcium carbonate to powder, food process molasses until
fine, add sugar and process together. Mix all ingredients in a mixer until thoroughly mixed
and package. As a variation, try adding a package of berry or apple flavored gelatin. To
use: clear out your mineral site and dig up the first 2 inches of soil, cover with Buck Crack ,
mix into the soil, place game camera and see what comes! You can also use this to pour
over your mineral block for added flavor and appeal. This is a good way to get necessary
minerals into the deer’s system.
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Recipe for Licker’s TOP FUEL:
1.5# Stabilized Rice Bran
1# 50/50 mix of cracked corn/soybean
1# 10 - 12% Protein Horse Pellets
.5# Corn Meal
.5# Soy Meal
.5# Beet Pulp
1# Buck Crack
.5# Calcium Carbonate
Change: For a change add 1 pound of chopped peanuts!
Run 1/2# corn and 1/2# soybeans through grain mill to a ‘cracked’ consistency (see pic).
Run ½ pound each of corn and soybeans through mill until a ‘meal’ consistency. Run the ½
pound of calcium carbonate through the mill to powder. Take the horse pellets and either
food process them or run them through the grain mill until fine. Food process SRB and
dried beet pulp until fine. Mix all ingredients thoroughly, bag; makes 6.50 pounds at a cost
of about $2.50. Cost to make this is a lot cheaper than the commercial ‘Super Attractants’
on the market! You know the brands!
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The future of Supplemental Deer Feed? – Amaranth?
After research into some “off the wall” or uncommon plants, we are in the process of testing
some of the various flours/meals and ground seeds primarily because of their nutritious
properties. We’ll be doing an addendum to this document with the results along with additional
recipes. One that looks particularly promising is Amaranth meal or flour from ground seeds.
Information on Amaranth pulled from:
http://www.jeffersoninstitute.org/pubs/amaranth.shtml
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/amaranth.html
http://www.eap.mcgill.ca/CPAT_2.htm
http://waltonfeed.com/self/amaranth.html
*Amaranth is a broadleaf plant that could be mistaken for soybeans early in the growing season
by someone driving past a field. Late in the season, however, there is no mistaking this striking,
tall crop which develops brilliantly colored grain heads producing thousands of tiny seeds.
Amaranth was a major food of the Aztecs and earlier American cultures, having been
domesticated thousands of years ago.
Amaranth was grown as a grain crop in the U.S. in the late 1970’s. Although grown on only a
few thousand acres each year, it is a common food item in the health food section of grocery
stores. The relatively high price of amaranth, while good for farmers, is a factor limiting the
extent of its current use in the food marketplace. Still, the valuable characteristics of amaranth
grain, combined with its adaptation to a wide range of growing areas, make it a very promising
crop for the future.
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The most popular U.S. grown variety of amaranth is Amaranthus hypochondiacus or Plainsman.
It is usually 5 to 6 feet tall especially in Missouri where it’s typically grown. Grain heads can
range from 4 to 12 inches long and from 2 to 8 inches wide. Seeds are small, about 1/25 inch.
Coloring in some varieties are maroon while others are green, some golden.
While amaranth is regarded to be drought tolerant, the mechanism of it’s drought tolerance is not
well understood. One trait that helps it in extremely dry conditions is an ability to wilt
temporarily, and then bounce back after a rainfall occurs.
Amaranth is a warm season crop with seed sown late May to early June, best planted ½ inch to 1
inch deep with 30 inch row spacing; sown roughly 2 pounds of seed per acre. Prospers in soils
with pH as low as 5.6. The growing seasons for some varieties are in the range of 150 days. It is
typically harvested with a combine after a killing frost.
Amaranth has the following nutritional properties per 100 grams: Protein 19g (more than Wheat,
Corn, Rice and Oats!); Fiber 5.6g (again more than W, C, R, and O); Fat 6g (more than W, C, R
and just a little less than Oat’s 6.9g); Calcium 153mg (way more than W, C, R and O); Calories
374 (you guessed it more than W, C, R and O); also contains Phosphorus 455mg; Magnesium
266mg; Potassium 366mg.
If you compare these properties to the deer’s nutritional needs at the top of this document you
will see that it is one of the most potent grains currently known that can not only put on weight,
but take care of doe nursing needs AND grow BIG buck racks! It is an expensive grain currently
(according to some websites .40/pound, which is $20 per 50 pound bag), we are planning on
growing a small field of Amaranth for additional test purposes, this could be the most
economical way to add this super food to your deer’s diet.
I think it will make an excellent mix used with other grains/foods for deer. You might ask what
does it smell and taste like? Would you believe…a remarkable resemblance to corn with a nutty
undertone?! When we ground our sample down it had a distinct almost nutty but corn-like
fragrance! So, no doubt deer will like the smell, we’re just starting our tests to see if there’s an
all year attraction power.
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Let’s face it, we hunters are trying to grow deer, preferably BIG, healthy deer much
like a cattleman is trying to grow BIG, healthy cattle! So, why not mimic what
works for cattle farmers?! They don’t buy high priced commercial supplements;
they grow their own feed or buy feed supplies from a local feed and seed or some
other farm supply at the cheapest price and do it themselves.
Creating your own deer feed supplements and attractants is fun and an activity that
the whole family can enjoy especially the children! It’s a great way to get your
younger sons and daughters involved in and introduced to the hunting sport
through ‘feeding the deer’ as I tell my 5 year old when we TOGETHER mix and put
out feed at various sites around my hunting land! He also loves to see the new
pictures from the game camera when we check it!
I’ve done a great deal of research on this through the years because of my desire to
grow and attract big deer as inexpensively as possible. This guy’s picture below was
taken during a recent hunting season, been on mixes and minerals for awhile, he’s a
DIY deer hunting poster deer. Nice mass and weight on this young guy we
affectionately call Licker! I’ve yet to see him in the woods during the day or he’d be
in the freezer! Let us know how else we can help you achieve your wildlife growth
goals! Good luck hunting and God Bless!
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