Foodplot observations

[dbltree]

I sat where I could watch a crossing by some of my smaller foodplots as well as out into the recently harvested bean and corn fields, once in the a.m. and again in the afternoon.

When daylight came I could see (with my binocs) that the corn stubble was crawling with deer, while only a few were in the soy stubble...and non in the foodplots

In the evening, the corn stubble once again filled with deer, while a few popped out into the soy field...and eventually headed straight to the corn.

About 6:15 a group of does and fawns came by, walked right smack thru the oats...to the bean field, nibbled around for a bit, including on some that were left standing along the edge.
They then went to the rye and grazed for awhile, then on into the alfalfa.

To be fair to the oats...my son watched several eating the "oat plot" in the lawn as well.

The brassica plots here have not been touched yet (unlike the ones at the other farm) but they literally have food coming out there ears.

You can see why I do like to have standing corn if possible...or...if everything is harvested and fall plowed, then there going to eat whatevers left.

It seems that's rare and this year with the wet weather, crops are still standing and almost no fall tillage has been done.

Makes for a lot of competition at this stage of the game at least.

Grain...it's always hard to beat

 

[ibohunt65]

I sat in my stand over a clover plot this past weekend and had deer in it every evening. This stand is right along the fenceline next to a standing corn field. Deer actually came out of the corn and would feed in the clover. It seemed like they liked a little of both. My clover is nipped like a lawnmower was being used. I will be expanding the plot next year

 

[iowabruce]

I have to agree...my brassica plots haven't been touched yet, the clover a little. The buck my wife shot last saturday was full of corn.

 

[letemwalk]

My corn plot that is 1/2 mile from the house and surrounded by CRP & timber is 70% gone already while the plot near the house is 95% intact. That one is supposed to be my late muzzleloader "magnet"...we'll see if that works out.

In August, as an experiment, I planted a plot that was 1/2 BFO and 1/2 Rye within sight of the house so I could monitor deer preference over time. While this is clearly an unscientific study, my obervation is that to date the deer prefer the BFO about 4:1 over the rye based upon where I see them feeding. I wonder if this will change as it gets colder?

I also found out my neighbors cattle also seemed to prefer the BFO as I came home from work one night 2 weeks ago and had 5 of them in the plot - all on the BFO side!

 

[Central Iowa]

I sat on a secluded plot with a mix of clovers, brassicas, and a few other goodies last week. I was cussing the deer as they walked through my lush plot 45 minutes before dark and headed to the standing corn they fed there a half hour and then returned to the plot and fed through. Found it interesting they went to the corn first and the green plot second.

 

[BOWDUDE]

Hunted Tues. and noticed the deer have not been using my plot of turnips??
Last year they left it alone, it looked great. Came back to hunt two weeks later and they had ate it down to nothing.
If they do the same this year I am hoping to time it just right.
BOWDUDE

 

[dbltree]

Because I have two different farms, in different situations, I see different usage at each one.

Kind of interesting to watch progress and deer usage now when it's "cornucopia"

thru December when it should be more slim pickins in the crop fields.

Even with all the grain I don't think they can resist a trip thru the "green stuff" as well (gotta have salad for a balanced diet ya know

)

 

[dbltree]

Well it's the 5th of November and we've had record lows now! 17-19 degrees the other morning so if anything is still alive...it's likely to stay that way for awhile

Saturday morning our alfalfa field look like Christmas lights when I pulled the truck in the driveway!

It was literally covered with deer

It's amazing how long it will stay green!

The oats have been hammered hard and are starting to turn yellow from the very cold temps.

Most years it looks like oats would last...barely thru peak bowhunting but not into shotgun season:

The rye of course is green as a golf course and they are keeping it well "mowed"

This plot is small so the AWP and small brassicas are being mowed as well

The brassicas show some serious wilting after the cold temps!

Unlike my larger brassica plot there has been so much feed around these that the deer haven't bothered with them much.

Most of the corn stubble has been chisel plowed now..so my food plots are what is left