Many hunters like using deer-attracting methods and substances to bring cervids into the vicinity, so they’re easier to hunt. Today, we’ll talk about homemade deer attractant recipes that actually work. You’ll discover a list of useful homemade deer attractants that you can try to make deer more immediately accessible (and your hunt more successful).
Maybe you’ve heard of deer-repellent substances before, as many homeowners and gardeners use them to keep pesky deer out of their flower gardens.
But there are just as many deer attractants available, as well. Keep scrolling to learn about effective homemade deer attractant recipes.
1. Apple, Minerals, and Molasses Block
You can make a deer lick block using apple, mineral, and molasses. This deer lick block will attract deer because they like the smell and taste of apples and molasses, and they enjoy getting minerals, too.
There are many deer lick block variations out there. Apples and molasses are especially tempting for cervids, which is why this block recipe is so effective.
Here are the ingredients you will need for this recipe:
- 10 pounds of apples
- 50 pounds of di-calcium phosphate
- 25 to 50 pound bag of stock salt (or regular salt, if you can’t find that)
- 20 to 50 pound bag of trace minerals
For equipment, you will require:
One empty 3 pound container
- One 18 ounce molasses container
- One 10 to 20 gallon bucket
Now let’s go through the steps to follow to make this deer lick block:
1. Cut up the apples
Cut up the apples into large pieces, making sure that you refrain from cutting up the cores.
2. Boil water
Put about one gallon of water on the stove and boil it. Then, put in the apple pieces. Stir.
3. Do a light boil.
Put the pot back on boil, on a lower temperature. Keep boiling the apples until they get soft.
4. Add di-calcium phosphate to the large container.
Take 6 pounds of the di-calcium phosphate and put it into the large container (the 3 pound empty container in the equipment list).
5. Add salt and trace minerals.
Put 6 pounds of salt and 9 pounds of trace minerals into the 3 pound container. Stir everything together.
6. Put the softened apples into the minerals and salt mixture.
Put the softened apples into the minerals and salt. Stir everything together.
7. Put in the molasses and water.
Now it’s time to put in all the molasses, as well as 2 more gallons of warm water. Stir thoroughly.
8. Dig a small hole in the ground.
Pour your deer attractant mixture into a small hole in the ground. Put some of the ground dirt into this, as well.
Once you’ve done this, the mixture will stay in the ground and will be useful in attracting deer into the area.
2. Salt and Dicalcium Phosphate Mineral Mix
Deer frequently look for sources of extra minerals, and that is why creating a mineral mix of salt and dicalcium phosphate will help to attract them.
Here is what you need to make a salt and dicalcium phosphate mineral mix.
Ingredients:
- 20 to 50 pound bag of salt
- 2 25 to 50 pound bags of trace mineral salt (make sure it doesn’t have any medication treatment)
- 20 to 50 pound bag of dicalcium phosphate
Equipment:
Tub or barrel that holds a minimum of 200 pounds.
Here are the steps you need to follow to create and use this deer attractant.
1. Empty the bags
Empty all the contents of the salt, mineral salt, and dicalcium phosphate bags into a tub or barrel. Mix everything together thoroughly.
2. Choose a spot to put the attractant.
You can put the attractant in a small hole in the ground or in a tree stump in the area where you want to attract deer.
Once you’ve done all of this, deer are more likely to appear in the area where you’ve put the mix.
3. Saltwater and Water
You can also use saltwater to attract deer to the area. Here is how to make a saltwater deer attractant.
You will need walt and water to make this. You will also need a 5-gallon bucket.
1. Put water in the bucket.
Put 5 gallons of water in the bucket. Add salt as you go.
2. Put this mix in the right places.
Pour the mixture into tree stumps or in holes in the ground in the area where you want to attract deer.
4. Acorn Mix Attractant
Here is a mixture with acorns that you can use to attract deer.
Ingredients you will need:
- Acorns (3 to 5 pounds)
- Water
- Equipment you will need:
- Mesh strainer
- Spray bottle
Here is the equipment you will need:
- A container
- Potato masher
- A large pot for the stove
Below are the steps you need to follow to make this acorn mix:
1. Add the acorns to a large pot.
Once you’ve put the acorns into a large pot, add water. You should then boil the mixture for between 30 and 40 minutes. Make sure the acorns become soft.
2. Use the potato masher to mash the acorns.
Use the potato masher to mash the acorns.
3. Reboil the mixture.
Reboil the mixture. Continue doing this until it becomes dark brown.
4. Use a strainer.
Strain the mixture with a strainer.
5. Put the liquid into your spray bottle.
Now you can put the cooled down mixture into your spray bottle. Go to the area where you want to attract deer and spray your acorn mixture around.
The smell of the mixture is surprisingly long lasting. In fact, it can continue to attract cervids for as long as a month.
5. Simple Peanut Butter Attractant
This is one of the easiest deer attractant recipes. All you need is a large jar of peanut butter, and the equipment to screw it into a tree, or hang it from it. It’s important that you make the jar of peanut butter hang approximately 5 feet from the ground.
You have to create an opening in the jar, so that the deer can access it, of course. Cervids consider peanut butter a real treat, so adding one of these to an area is sure to attract more of these animals.
6. Vanilla Extract Spray
Vanilla is effective at attracting deer, as they like the scent. You just need vanilla extract and a spray bottle.
To create a vanilla extract spray, mix vanilla with a little bit of water, and put it in the spray bottle. Then, just go to the area where you want to attract deer, and spray it around.
7. Vanilla and Peanut Butter Mix
You can also mix vanilla and peanut butter together to attract deer. To do this, you could mix some vanilla into a jar of peanut butter.
Then, cut a hole in the jar of peanut butter and hang it from a tree. You could also screw it into a tree.
8. Molasses and Corn Mix
Molasses and corn both attract deer, and mixing these ingredients together makes a great deer attractant you can make at home.
Here are the ingredients you’ll need:
- Molasses
- Peanut butter
- Corn
- Water
You will also need a bucket or large bowl.
Follow the steps below to create a molasses and corn deer attractant.
1. Mix the corn and peanut butter.
Mix the corn and peanut butter together in your chosen container (for example, a bucket).
2. Put in the molasses.
Now you should put the molasses into the mix. Mix it in thoroughly.
3. Add some water.
Add some water into the bucket. It should be equivalent to about ⅓ of what is already in the mixture. Mix thoroughly.
You should apply this mixture to the ground or tree stumps. It will help to bring more deer close-by.
9. Molasses and Rotten Fruit
Another molasses cervid attractant mix uses rotten fruit. Let’s take a look at how to create this homemade deer attractant.
The ingredients you need are below:
- Molasses
- Peanut butter
- Rotten fruit
- Water
You will also need a bucket or large bowl for mixing the ingredients.
Here are the steps to follow to make and use this mix:
1. Put the peanut butter and rotten fruit in your chosen container (for example, a bucket).
Add the rotten fruit and peanut butter to your bucket, and mix them up.
2. Add in the molasses
Now, put the molasses into the mix. Mix everything thoroughly.
3. Add some water.
Add some water to the mixture. It should be equivalent to about ⅓ of the container. Mix thoroughly.
Once you’re done this, you can apply this mixture to stumps and in holes on the land where you hope to attract deer.
10. Persimmon and Vodka Mix
Deer are attracted by the scent of persimmon, so this persimmon and vodka recipe should be useful in attracting cervids.
You will need to make this mixture about 3 to 5 months before you plan to use it, so keep that in mind.
Below are the ingredients you need to make this deer attractant:
- Diced persimmons (1 cup)
- Vodka (or another scentless alcohol) (2 cups)
- Water (½ cup)
Now let’s take a look at the steps you have to follow to make persimmon and vodka deer attractant:
1. Add all the ingredients to a container.
All the diced persimmons, vodka, and water to a container, such as a bucket. Mix them all together.
2. Put the mix in airtight plastic storage bags.
You need to store this mixture in airtight plastic storage bags. Keep them in a dark, cool spot for 3 to 5 months. This will make the odor as strong as possible.
3. Put the mix in a spray bottle.
Once you’ve put the aged mix in a spray bottle, apply it around the area where you want to attract deer.
Frequently Asked Questions: Deer Attractant (homemade deer recipes that work)
You probably still have some questions about homemade deer recipes and attracting deer. Let’s take a look at some of the most frequently asked questions, as well as our answers.
What is the best thing to attract deer fast?
Like with most other animals, food tends to be the factor that makes deer appear. If you want to attract deer to a specific area, you can put down deer food plots.
Many hunters have success using corn or corn mixed with other foods and scents to attract deer. For example, you can position a large pile of corn on the ground, and then pour crude soybean oil over it. The soil will make the scent of the corn even more irresistible to the deer.
How do you make deer attractant?
As we saw earlier in the article, there are several different recipe options for making homemade deer attractant. How you make a deer attractant will depend on which kind of attractant you want to make.
Take a look at the several deer attractant recipes we’ve described in this article, so that you can decide which one to try.
All of the recipes we talked about above include ingredients that you might already have at home.
What is the best deer attractant mix?
Different hunters have their own opinions on which deer attractant mix is the best. In many cases, experts feel that pre-prepared products work the most effectively.
As deer like corn so much, the Molasses and Corn mix we talked about earlier may be especially effective.
Molasses and corn both attract deer, and mixing these ingredients together makes a great deer attractant you can make at home. You will need molasses, peanut butter, corn, and water to make this attractant.
Final Thoughts: Deer Attractant (homemade recipes that work)
If you want to attract deer to a specific area, you have plenty of options. As we’ve discussed here, there are many homemade deer attractant recipes that you can try. Most of them include ingredients that you may already have at home.
Before you go, check out our Deer Nose Guide (how a deer’s sense of smell works).
