I’ve got almost 2.5 acres I plot every year. 2 years ago I had it all beans that I fenced off. I dropped the fence before season and it took the deer awhile to eat everything. This past year I sectioned off 4 squares and planted ww and clover in 2 and ww, radishes, and turnips in the other 2. Deer didn’t seek too interested in any of it til the cold and snow hit in early January. They piled in there then. Twice I sat my stand during that cold and had 20-30 deer gorging both times. I noticed tho when it began to warm up cam pics began to drop off to eventually almost zero. I went out to investigate and found the ww had been nipped off pretty close. The turnips were starting to mush and the radishes were complete garbage in that they’re now very soft and spongy. I’m guessing the deer don’t like eating that half rotted stuff. Aside from grain is there anything a guy can plant that will provide food through the late winter into early spring time period? Seeing those 20-30 deer a night was more a product of opportunity than a measure of deer numbers in the area. During season when it was warmer I’d still see 8-10 a night but nothing like what the cold and snow brought in. Just wondering if there’s something that will better withstand the cold temps and still be palatable. I’ll be tilling all the rotted in this spring which I don’t mind for soil but that ain’t what I planted it for.
northcedar
Well-Known Member
Here's my experience. The radish is for early season attraction. They love the greens. The tubers may get nibbled here and there, but don't bother entering that into your decision making. They will degrade to junk every winter. Turnips can also degrade by winter, but many years they don't. Even if they rot down some, they'll still be eaten by hungry deer. They deer also love the greens on them all fall long until they're gone. A good plot of turnips and winter rye will keep deer coming all winter. Maybe if a guy has just way too many deer, it won't last long enough.
Bassattackr
Well-Known Member
Similar experience this year. Turnips and radish both rotted early, despite planting later in the fall. Field was a ghost town.
Meanwhile, my neighbors bean field had 26 deer in it..
Meanwhile, my neighbors bean field had 26 deer in it..
Bucksnbears
Well-Known Member
Sugarbeets if you can grow them.
Or pumpkins.
Or pumpkins.
Trapshooter1
Well-Known Member
This last year, I Had Brassicas and Standing soybeans side by side. Was a nice combination.
Next year I'll have Corn both standing and knocked down. Going to plant Clover where the Brassicas were, and move over a bit and have the Brassicas in an L Shape around the Clover.
The following year I'll swap the clover and Brassicas. After watching Bill Winke grow pumpkins, I might throw in a half a dozen pumpkin plants.
Next year I'll have Corn both standing and knocked down. Going to plant Clover where the Brassicas were, and move over a bit and have the Brassicas in an L Shape around the Clover.
The following year I'll swap the clover and Brassicas. After watching Bill Winke grow pumpkins, I might throw in a half a dozen pumpkin plants.
Do deer eat pumpkins? I always have a big patch of em in my garden and occasionally see deer tracks among the plants but I’ve never noticed any damage.
I think corn is king this time of year but aside from fencing it I don’t know how I’d grow it at the farm. When I planted beans 2 years ago I somehow ended up with a few random corn seeds in it. None of them got higher than a couple ft. One plant looked like someone came along with a hedge trimmer and just cut it off stalk and all. Of course there’s the challenge of being able to see in/through the stalks come hunting season. And for me I don’t know how I’d ever prep the field the next spring with all the corn residue still on the field. I don’t have the equipment to drill or no till so I have to soil prep prior to planting
I think corn is king this time of year but aside from fencing it I don’t know how I’d grow it at the farm. When I planted beans 2 years ago I somehow ended up with a few random corn seeds in it. None of them got higher than a couple ft. One plant looked like someone came along with a hedge trimmer and just cut it off stalk and all. Of course there’s the challenge of being able to see in/through the stalks come hunting season. And for me I don’t know how I’d ever prep the field the next spring with all the corn residue still on the field. I don’t have the equipment to drill or no till so I have to soil prep prior to planting
Nightvision
Active Member
Grain sorghum is a great option.
And you can broadcast small seed into it in early fall.
And you can broadcast small seed into it in early fall.
That’s an interesting thought. I planted sorghum as a screen once and noticed it kept getting knocked over in random spots. I initially thought wind til I watched a herd of does come up and shoulder it over til they could reach the heads with their mouths. They certainly eat it for sure
Bassattackr
Well-Known Member
Grain sorghum is great, and a very easy grain to grow. First hard cold spell and it will get hammered.
Find a good red hybrid grain sorghum (instead of a screening product) for a shorter height and bigger heads. You can use WGF sorghum but I prefer the hybrid varieties instead that end up around 4'-5'.
This Richardson Seed variety is my favorite so far:
RS230 Hybrid Grain Sorghum - Missouri Southern Seed
RS215 Hybrid Grain Sorghum has a high tolerance to drought and will produce outstanding yields under dry land or limited irrigated conditions.
missourisouthernseed.com
Nightvision
Active Member
Very easy to grow. Way more drought tolerant than corn. But it does do better with some nitrogen.
Bucksnbears
Well-Known Member
Deer will hammer pumpkins/ squash.
Started planting the in 09 just for a garden novelty but quickly realized the deer would not leave them alone. Figgered I'd try them as a stand alone foodplot. Glad I did as they have become my favorite mid/ late season foodplot plantings.
Started urging Bill W years ago to give them a try. Looks like he finally did a couple years ago.
Easy,cheap to plant and if rains are timely, they can exploded with fruit.
And no, even here in the frozen north, I've never had to smash them open.
The deer will get inside.
Started planting the in 09 just for a garden novelty but quickly realized the deer would not leave them alone. Figgered I'd try them as a stand alone foodplot. Glad I did as they have become my favorite mid/ late season foodplot plantings.
Started urging Bill W years ago to give them a try. Looks like he finally did a couple years ago.
Easy,cheap to plant and if rains are timely, they can exploded with fruit.
And no, even here in the frozen north, I've never had to smash them open.
The deer will get inside.
DMarley83
DMARLEY83
Have been planting brasica blends for about 15 years now over multiple counties and different lands types. (All iowa) Here is what I have noticed.
In pasture strong areas ( not a lot of row crop) brassicas are a immediate hit. In strong row crop areas; some times so so: some times they do not touch at all....
Just what I have personally seen.
In pasture strong areas ( not a lot of row crop) brassicas are a immediate hit. In strong row crop areas; some times so so: some times they do not touch at all....
Just what I have personally seen.
Tmayer13
Well-Known Member
You cannot gauge deer and plots from this year. IMO. With the unseasonably warm weather most of the year and the lack of snow fall deer are not having to "look" for food this year. They are just simply eating whatever is available in the timbers and then laying out of terraces during the day and picking through farmers fields. Over the past couple seasons, I have noticed a real drop off in the way deer use "food plots". I think they are so weather dependent and the fact that our winters here in the midwest are subpar at best makes it difficult. I will be turning most all of my green plots into clover and some brassicas but clover and rye or oats will be it for the most part...
So they’re eating the pumpkins themselves and not the plant? If so at what stage of pumpkin fruit growth do they start eating them?
That’s wild to me. I’ve literally never had a deer eat one. Squash bugs and cucumber beetles tho are the devil
Ive done pumpkins for 2 years now- first year was very limited grazing. This year, everything that was left, they ate. Now that being said, I did have to fence them as they were growing. I couldnt keep the deer out of them. So fence went up, got pumpkins mature, opened the fence and it was amazing how many deer did come in (for the area and low deer numbers anyway) but they are a very limited, eat and gone type food for me. They still prefer a lot of other things later into the year around my place so far. I did almost a full acre for reference
Bucksnbears
Well-Known Member
First year (this past) I've ever had problems with deer eating the plants while they were growing. A couple of stinky t shirts hung on posts stuck in the plots worked great.
Used to mix pumpkins with Acorn squash bout 50/50 but they like the squash abit earlier. I typically don't start hunting till late October so have been doing just pumpkins last 5 or so years.
Tried several different types. They all work but seems like they like the smaller " sugar pie" varieties the best.
After years of planting them, I've settled on plant seeds about 6' apart, and 6' between the rows.
It's amazing how far each plant will grow once they start vining.
Give em plenty room to grow!.
Kinda funny. I often take my canoe up n down the river in the spring/ summer.
I've seen pumpkins/ squash growing out of the mud 2 miles away.lol.
Sugarbeets are about the best late season attraction here. Our deer herd would be miniscule if it weren't for them but..., they are touchy to grow, expensive to plant,and really need to be cultivated up prior to freeze up so they lay on top.
My family has grown them for years. One heck of a food source late season but I would not recommend them for a food plotter unless you have the time/ $ and the equipment for them.
Newfarmer, yes, the deer will often go through beans,corn brassicas for pumpkins but it appears they won't gorge on them for a mainstay food source.
I've watched 100s of deer in my pumpkins eating. It's usually a 10/20 minute feast and off they go.
Kinda like me...., I'll go out of my way for a snickers bar but one is enuff. (Till the next day) Lol.
Used to mix pumpkins with Acorn squash bout 50/50 but they like the squash abit earlier. I typically don't start hunting till late October so have been doing just pumpkins last 5 or so years.
Tried several different types. They all work but seems like they like the smaller " sugar pie" varieties the best.
After years of planting them, I've settled on plant seeds about 6' apart, and 6' between the rows.
It's amazing how far each plant will grow once they start vining.
Give em plenty room to grow!.
Kinda funny. I often take my canoe up n down the river in the spring/ summer.
I've seen pumpkins/ squash growing out of the mud 2 miles away.lol.
Sugarbeets are about the best late season attraction here. Our deer herd would be miniscule if it weren't for them but..., they are touchy to grow, expensive to plant,and really need to be cultivated up prior to freeze up so they lay on top.
My family has grown them for years. One heck of a food source late season but I would not recommend them for a food plotter unless you have the time/ $ and the equipment for them.
Newfarmer, yes, the deer will often go through beans,corn brassicas for pumpkins but it appears they won't gorge on them for a mainstay food source.
I've watched 100s of deer in my pumpkins eating. It's usually a 10/20 minute feast and off they go.
Kinda like me...., I'll go out of my way for a snickers bar but one is enuff. (Till the next day) Lol.
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I guess I meant it more as in- once it got fairly cold here, they didnt touch the pumpkins anymore. They ate them early like a typically food, but then once it got cold, they focused on other things.
Bucksnbears
Well-Known Member
Newfarmer, what state are you from?
Deer up here will dig down through feet of snow for pumpkins.
Deer up here will dig down through feet of snow for pumpkins.
