Even if bleach worked for creating salt licks, there are much better things to use.
QUESTION: I've heard a couple of people talking about pouring bleach on stumps and creating a salt lick that deer love. Is there any validity to this? I would think the bleach would be harmful to the deer and other wildlife. — Ronny H.
ANSWER: I must admit that’s a new one for me, and I had about the same reaction. I searched the most reliable source for such outrageous claims — the internet — and all I came up with was chat room and forum discussion and unsubstantiated claims that it does in fact work, which begs the question: Why would anyone even try it?
Digging a little deeper, I found that bleach is one suggested method for killing a tree stump, although there are much better options. Furthermore, bleach does contain a small amount (3-5 percent) of a type of salt (sodium hypochlorite). Perhaps somewhere along the line someone tried using bleach to kill a tree and the deer were attracted by the salt.
As to whether or not it’s harmful, I don’t know, but there are certainly better things you could pour on a stump if you want to attract deer. You could use good old fashioned road salt, but you and your deer would be far better off with one of the many mineral licks, powders or granules that contain minerals, vitamins and other ingredients that are beneficial to deer.