How to Find Deer Using Sugar

If you're trying to attract deer, you'd be well served to try placing some of their preferred snacks around an area where they are prone to graze. In general, deer feed on various types of vegetation, including greenery and shrubs, but they will go the extra mile for a taste of something sweet. Placing sugar licks and molasses around your property is an effective way to attract deer, as they are drawn to the minerals in the sugar and the sweet scent. The deer will benefit from the fat-building minerals in the sugar, and will also produce thicker bodily layers to better shield them from the cold and wind of the winter months. Planting sugar beets is another great way to attract deer, and it provides a healthy alternative to their usual diet, too. They love the taste of sugar beets, and they also benefit from the nutrition that is provided from both the leaves of the plant and the roots, as well.

Sugar

Molasses

Sugar beet seeds

Soil

Rake

Shovel

Water

Find a secluded spot that is rich with overgrown brush, shrubbery and trees. Deer tend to reside on the outskirts of wooded areas, rather than within, so it is not necessary to venture deep into the woods to set up your sugar lick.

Find a tree stump or create a pile of earth by raking together dirt and brush.

Pour a large amount of sugar, the larger the better, onto the elevated area and wait for the deer to discover it. You may also sprinkle excess sugar in the surrounding areas to create a larger radius in the hopes of attracting more deer. It may take the deer some time to seek out the sugar lick, depending on the time of year, placement and population.

Select a tree stump or a log that is easily accessible to deer, both in terms of height and location.

Pour the molasses directly onto the stump or log. The molasses will soak into the naturally absorbent wood. The sweet scent is activated by moisture in the air, either from rain or dewdrops. Deer that live within close proximity are drawn to the odor and come to feast.

Buy a commercially manufactured molasses product instead, if you'd rather. There are many sugar-based molasses products available that may be used for attracting deer.

Determine the most suitable area to plant your crop, remembering that sugar beets do best in soil that is moist, but not fully saturated. They flourish in warm temperatures, and should be planted in the spring.

Plant the seeds fairly close to one another, approximately 1/4 inch within the soil. Their shallow roots must be watered regularly. After 20-30 days, the beets will be visible. .

Weed out the least healthy beets in your crop once they reach 3 to 5 inches in height. Remove any beets that are not green and vibrant looking. For a small crop, hand weeding is recommended to maintain the beets for their full life-expectancy, which is 70-90 days.

After one to two months, the sugar beets will be fully grown and suitable for the deer to enjoy. Continue to water your crop regularly to ensure that the shallow roots are receiving the required amount of hydration. The deer will be able to graze the crops daily, enjoying both the leafy greens on ground's surface and the protein and vitamin A-rich roots underneath.