Deer Food Plot

[Eugene]

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=61263&hilit=stuck+troubled

Above link of initial plowing for deer food plot. Over the past 6 years, have expanded the food plot to the cedar tree in the center of the first photo and to the left. About 1 acre total. Then installed a permanent deer stand.

About 2 years ago a neighbor build a house and large shop next to the property line. That would be just to the left of the first photo and with in rifle shot of the deer stand.

This spring, plan is to let everything left of the cedar tree in the center of the first photo return to pasture grass. Herbicide, burn down, about 3/4 of an acre to the right of the photo, disk harrow, sow, peg tooth harrow. Won't plow because the planned ground is very rocky.

The ground in the first photo contains a lot of rocks. Several were good sized boulders. Put steel fence posts adjacent to the boulders so we wouldn't hit them again with implements. Took several years to dig/roll them out, using skid steer to move off into the timber.

 

[Slim140]

What do you plant for the deer? I been planting soybeans but may try something else this year.

 

[Super A]

I will never in a million years understand why anyone feels the need to feed the deer......but good reason for putting hours on the Cub I guess.

Al

 

[Eugene]

What do you plant for the deer? I been planting soybeans but may try something else this year.

Most of the sown seed is forage radish. They bore holes in the clay soil, provide good ground cover, deer and cattle like them.

Past couple of years been sowing a mixture of forage radish, turnips, and a seed mixture of 4 or 5 types of rape seed.

Forage radish and turnip seed is inexpensive. I can purchase a couple pounds at the local farm and ranch store. Where as, other seed is only available in 20 or 50 lb bags.

I will never in a million years understand why anyone feels the need to feed the deer......but good reason for putting hours on the Cub I guess.

Almost no row crops in this area to attract deer.

 

[Slim140]

I will never in a million years understand why anyone feels the need to feed the deer......but good reason for putting hours on the Cub I guess.

Al

Feed the deer, feed the family with deer meat that is fattened up by eating whatever you feed them. It’s kinda like feeding cows but a lot cheaper and the FDA isn't involved.

 

[Slim140]

What do you plant for the deer? I been planting soybeans but may try something else this year.

Most of the sown seed is forage radish. They bore holes in the clay soil, provide good ground cover, deer and cattle like them.

Past couple of years been sowing a mixture of forage radish, turnips, and a seed mixture of 4 or 5 types of rape seed.

Forage radish and turnip seed is inexpensive. I can purchase a couple pounds at the local farm and ranch store. Where as, other seed is only available in 20 or 50 lb bags.

I will never in a million years understand why anyone feels the need to feed the deer......but good reason for putting hours on the Cub I guess.

Almost no row crops in this area to attract deer.

Thanks for sharing. What exactly is rape seed? I’ve seen it for sale but have no idea what it is.

 

[Bill Hudson]

... What exactly is rape seed? ...

Shane,

Here you go: https://www.agmrc.org/commodities-products/grains-oilseeds/rapeseed/

Bill

 

[Slim140]

... What exactly is rape seed? ...

Shane,

Here you go: https://www.agmrc.org/commodities-products/grains-oilseeds/rapeseed/

Bill

Thank you Bill, may give it a try and see how it does. I plowed about 1.2 acres in a new area a few weeks ago for a deer plot next year.

 

[Eugene]

Feed the deer, feed the family with deer meat that is fattened up by eating whatever you feed them. It’s kinda like feeding cows but a lot cheaper and the FDA isn't involved.

The farm owner gets free large game tags in Missouri. For Missouri residents, large game tags are very inexpensive.

Recreation with some where over 200K deer harvested every year in Missouri. Deer hunting is used to control disease and population.

Some farmers rent or lease out their property for deer hunting. Actually, that's quite profitable. One year my brother and his friend hunted the property for 3 days. Week or two after the hunt, some where around $200- worth of gifts arrived in the mail.

 

[tnestell]

We plant deer food plots not to feed them, but to bait them.

 

[Super A]

I will never in a million years understand why anyone feels the need to feed the deer......but good reason for putting hours on the Cub I guess.

Al

Feed the deer, feed the family with deer meat that is fattened up by eating whatever you feed them. It’s kinda like feeding cows but a lot cheaper and the FDA isn't involved.

Around here the #@$*#$ things need no help finding something to eat, usually its a crop somebody's trying to make a living on.

Honestly if I could choose one species for total extinction, it would be the white tailed deer.

Al

 

[Slim140]

I will never in a million years understand why anyone feels the need to feed the deer......but good reason for putting hours on the Cub I guess.

Al

Feed the deer, feed the family with deer meat that is fattened up by eating whatever you feed them. It’s kinda like feeding cows but a lot cheaper and the FDA isn't involved.

Around here the #@$*#$ things need no help finding something to eat, usually its a crop somebody's trying to make a living on.

Honestly if I could choose one species for total extinction, it would be the white tailed deer.

Al

Wild pigs eat/destroy more than whitetail deer, I would say without looking it up. Wild pigs breed more times per year and have way more than 2 like most whitetail deer. I know deer cause more traffic accidents probably.

 

[Super A]

Feed the deer, feed the family with deer meat that is fattened up by eating whatever you feed them. It’s kinda like feeding cows but a lot cheaper and the FDA isn't involved.

Around here the #@$*#$ things need no help finding something to eat, usually its a crop somebody's trying to make a living on.

Honestly if I could choose one species for total extinction, it would be the white tailed deer.

Al

Wild pigs eat/destroy more than whitetail deer, I would say without looking it up. Wild pigs breed more times per year and have way more than 2 like most whitetail deer. I know deer cause more traffic accidents probably.

Pigs are getting bad, which is a whole 'nother deal, but deer have been over-populated in my area for years. If there are enough of them they will start at one end of a soybean field and mow it to the other. We had several farms that were total losses for several years back in the 80s. And in NC they have always been over-protected, we have several folks that aggressively hunt our farm (for meat instead of antlers) and have gotten them somewhat under control and now I understand NCWRC is trying to shorten the season and bag limits. That is fine with me, if they triple the license fees and come to the landowners with their checkbook every year. I wish the state would show as much concern for landowners and the general public as they do the hunters!

Al

 

[Slim140]

Around here the #@$*#$ things need no help finding something to eat, usually its a crop somebody's trying to make a living on.

Honestly if I could choose one species for total extinction, it would be the white tailed deer.

Al

Wild pigs eat/destroy more than whitetail deer, I would say without looking it up. Wild pigs breed more times per year and have way more than 2 like most whitetail deer. I know deer cause more traffic accidents probably.

Pigs are getting bad, which is a whole 'nother deal, but deer have been over-populated in my area for years. If there are enough of them they will start at one end of a soybean field and mow it to the other. We had several farms that were total losses for several years back in the 80s. And in NC they have always been over-protected, we have several folks that aggressively hunt our farm (for meat instead of antlers) and have gotten them somewhat under control and now I understand NCWRC is trying to shorten the season and bag limits. That is fine with me, if they triple the license fees and come to the landowners with their checkbook every year. I wish the state would show as much concern for landowners and the general public as they do the hunters!

Al

I live in NC as well, I remember back in the early 90's and before that the season had 2 doe days per year, yes 2 days. Now it's the whole season and where we live you can only kill 2 bucks and 4 does with your tags or you can kill 6 does and get more doe tags. Are the deer getting more populated or are people pushing them from their habitat by building more developments? Where I live I would say more people but the deer have gotten more plentiful as well.

 

[Don McCombs]

Hunting has become an economic enterprise. In most states, game species are managed with that factor in mind. Fortunately, in my part of MD, DNR is not stingy with deer damage permits.

 

[Eugene]

Where I live I would say more people but the deer have gotten more plentiful as well.

Several cities in Missouri stage managed urban deer hunts to reduce damage to residential and park plants.