info from KDFWR

http://fw.ky.gov/foodplot.asp

The planting of food plots is possibly the most implemented and, in most cases, the least needed wildlife management practice in Kentucky. Many landowners believe that food plots provide everything that wildlife need when in fact they comprise the smallest piece of the wildlife habitat puzzle. The key elements for wildlife survival are food, water, cover, and space. However, given the mild climate and diverse vegetation in the state, food is seldom a limiting factor for wildlife. In fact, animals feed on a wide variety of native vegetation, some of which is often considered to be worthless weeds by most landowners. Cover, because it is most often lacking, is virtually always much more important than food in determining the abundance of local populations.

http://fw.ky.gov/mineral.asp

Mineral licks may be found naturally throughout Kentucky. Although found naturally, landowners often express interest in developing mineral licks in specific sites. Just like any management decision, you have to weigh the pros and cons to determine if this is a wildlife habitat improvement needed for your specific area.

Landowners develop supplemental mineral licks mainly for deer in hopes of attracting more animals to an area and enhancing antler growth. It is important to remember some basic facts of deer biology. Mineral supplementation alone will not increase antler growth or the capability of the land to support deer. Several factors play a vital role in wildlife management and mineral licks may actually be at the bottom of the list of things to improve upon. The size of deer antlers depends not only on mineral nutrition, but also age, forage quantity and quality, and genetics. Improving one factor while ignoring others will not yield productive results. Herd density and buck-to-doe ratios, together with genetics, are the major factors determining deer health and antler development. No studies have ever confirmed that mineral licks alone increase antler size or weight. However, common sense tells us that a properly managed mineral lick may in fact be beneficial to wildlife.

more info can be found at http://fw.ky.gov/howto.asp

In my end of the state the key to all of this is the "specific sites". Here the terain is very tough, and access to areas that if you kill a deer you would be able to get it out, is limited. therefore a lot of effort is put into getting the deer to frequant these areas. I have a spot that I have been planting, and putting out salt blocks for a couple of years, without hunting. Before I started there was little to no deer activity in the area, but now there is evidence they are hanging out in the area. This year will be the first year I hunt in this spot. My point is sometimes our efforts are not to bulk up antler size, but to get the deer to come to where we need them to be.

Personally I would much rather get a young spike than a trophey buck, I am after meat not a prize. I am sure most of us here are the same way. Although, that is not to say we would pass on a trophey buck, just that the little ones are more tender. LOL!

Of the 4 factors you mentioned space is the one we are lacking in most. With the dense woods and steep cliffs there is not much room for deer to romp.

sounds like you have a pretty good plan...if something goes wrong, take a couple turnips and a bottle of vanilla extract to the stand with ya.

12acrehome wrote:sounds like you have a pretty good plan...if something goes wrong, take a couple turnips and a bottle of vanilla extract to the stand with ya.  

Thanks, I had never heard of that before. A close family friend owns a very large apple orchard here, and I get some of his bruised and unsaleable apples and put them out right before season.

Being in zone 4 the season is short (I havent been able to get a bow to make it longer), but my family owns some land in Grant county, so we go up there after the season ends here. I almost always get a deer there.