Fence em out or...

[dbltree]

feed em more??

Most of you have seen the pics of what the deer did to 5 acres of corn and beans

I've been trying to figure out how the heck to keep the darn things out until the corn gets big enough (if that's possible).

I see some folks on the QDM forum are using electric fence and the plot saver fence...works for some but many they just jump over and chow down

Seems to much like work to fence 5 acres, only to have them tear it down or jump over.
I've been thinking (no comments please...

) I have tree plantings surrounding the field next to the woodlots that the deer "appear" out of on their way to my tasty corn.

Wondering about planting "candy" feed in between the tree rows, like oats, spring triticale, field peas and Austrian Winter Peas?

The deer always mow the field closest to the bedding areas and then "mow" their way on in. You would think if they had green feed growing where they first come out that they would fill up on that...or maybe it would just give em a hankering for more...

Welter Seed has a great selection of low cost spring seeds including oatlage and tritlage and even Succotash

Welter seed spring mixes

It's not like they don't have plenty to eat, they just like to stay where they are safe and hidden and right next to the woods would be as close as they could get.

besides filling the freezer

...any other ideas?

 

[Central Iowa]

get another freezer

Really, I think you covered it. Wonder how much pressure the sacraficial plot would take off the corn and beans?

 

[Ghost]

Paul,

Sounds like you need some real help in the area!

I can be there in 40 minutes with two kids and youth season tags.....

 

[risto2351]

I second Ghost's advice.
A few more youth season tags and you are set.

Will take a little longer to get there though

Let us know how your candy works.
Risto

 

[dbltree]

[ QUOTE ]
Paul,

Sounds like you need some real help in the area!

I can be there in 40 minutes with two kids and youth season tags.....

[/ QUOTE ]

pack up the kids and the dbl bull and I'll set you right up Ghost

 

[THEBAD]

You may have to do what I had to do....switch to ten acre plots instead of 5....

 

[Thunder Ridge Extreme 1]

One thing to try to keep the deer from damaging the corn that has helped me is very simple to do. It seems silly and shouldn't work but all you have do is add end rows! Cap off all your rows to keep them from walking down the rows with ease and nipping off all the new growth. I also have taken a couple plots and made them L shaped to make with shorter rows between end caps. This seems to cut down on the destuction of my plots. I have proof of this on my place this year where I left off the end rows on one 5 acre plot and it will be the first total loss I have had in many years. The corn looks great from a distance but the deer stripped all but about 5% of the ears off during the silk stage. One other factor I had against me was the neighborhood crop rotation was all beans so that left my plot the only source for corn.
So my advice would be to try to stay in line with the neighborhood crop rotation and double up your end rows and maybe add a couple cross rows in the center of the plot to keep them from just walking down the rows.

Good Luck, T$

 

[dbltree]

I wish I could plant more acres but I'm limited because it's in CRP...5 is pushing it at that.

I do plant the headlands and do a couple "S" shaped rounds mostly to keep anybody from shooting down the rows

I wish my corn would have made it to the "silk" stage, but they never let it get to the "knee high" stage

I normally plant fairly high population as well. Sometimes I think maybe I've done too good of a job at giving them the best cover around. They just lay in the switchgrass all day then step out and chow down all night. At least the poachers must find it a little more "challenging"

 

[turkeyriver]

I planted my plot 4rows of corn then 4rows of beans. The plot was planted late and the corn is roasting ear stage now. While the corn is being eaten around the edges, the deer really seem to be keying on the beans and leaving the corn to ripen.

 

[dbltree]

[ QUOTE ]
I planted my plot 4rows of corn then 4rows of beans. The plot was planted late and the corn is roasting ear stage now. While the corn is being eaten around the edges, the deer really seem to be keying on the beans and leaving the corn to ripen.

[/ QUOTE ]

I have seen plantings where 2 rows of corn and 2 rows of beans were planted (4 row planter) and the deer just mowed the beans.

My objective is to produce more food mass per acre, which means planting both at high populations and fertilizing accordingly. I just have a very high deer density...and every year it gets a little more "dense"

 

[Thunder Ridge Extreme 1]

You could do what the do on the southern deer ranches and high fence it with 2 layers of 4.5' to 5' fence and have the bottom layer able to be flipped up in the fall right before deer season. This eliminated any chance for crop damage and the deer didn't mind walking though or under the fence. It would take an initial investment but each year you wouldn't have to worry at all! Just walk around the plot and flip up the bottom 5' section in strategic areas and let'em in.

T$

 

[OrionWhitetails]

I would suggest the split-row planting technique being done in similar situations by Bob Coine in Illinois. Instead of 30,000 seeds of corn/acre, he plants around 50,000 by planting the normal-width rows and then coming back over the field a second time and planting in between the original rows. He also doubles the fertilizer rate. This, of course, is all in an effort to "overwhelm" the deer herd. We tried it for the first time and so far, the results are awesome!

 

[THEBAD]

We did that this year as well and added three times the amount of nitrogen , Very effective(we still did 10 acres though) This may not be very cost effective as we have close to $1000 in it this year alone.