I need to stick a camera up on this, but I just don't think the deer hit this clover, I may be mistaken, it just don't seem like there hitting it..... There is a small trail where it looks like a few have been there in the lower right frame of picture, but heck, that could be rabbits....LOL It looks good though, if I was a Deer I would hit it....LOL Creeks! http://1drv.ms/1Hydvh7
There's plenty of other food for them to eat, they won't hit it much unless they have to. Just wait until fall.
NOW, were talking......Didn't even think of it like that....Crap, Im green!! Thanks for the encouragement.... Creeks!
Looks good! It's tough to judge the height of the clover, from the pic. Have you mowed it at all yet? Just out of curiosity, is that a no-till plot?
I've took the weed eater to it once...so yes, and no it's not the no-till plot....I cleared the spot...sprayed weed killer, took a tiller to it.....lime/fertilizer and then planted...it's a 2 yr old plot....it was pennington seed and I believe I mixed some seed from Deer Creek Seed company in it. it's probably 6 to 7 inches tall....(rough guess) Creeks!
I would be willing to wager that by the end of november there is hardly any clover more than an inch tall in there! looks good. they are just eating on other things right now as previously stated. All my clover plots look similar, we have high deer numbers but they just prefer soybeans and corn to it right now.
Oh Ok......thanks Pator, that's good to hear, I have 3 of these small plots, there is 2 more right before you get to this one....a little bigger in size too....also about 100yds or so farther back I have another plot that is Clover Chicory/Monster Magnet mix. that's doing good also.... Thanks again Creeks
Mine look similar right now....lots and lots of green forage in the woods right now....I don't care what food plot companies say...a deer will prefer fresh native browse over anything else....here's a plot of mine I checked this morning
I agree with you 100% boonerville........just got back from checking another spot I have down deeper in the country as we call it around here, and its the same way, its a mixture of stuff...I did see some tracks around it though..... Creeks!
No matter the type of forage there are a couple factors that come into play that affect palatability. When anything heads out (blossoms) the palatability and nutrition value is greatly lower. If your soil pH is low, you will have poor uptake and the result usually is lower protein, mineral and most of all "sugar content." Many areas of the us are sulfur deficient, as we have been cleaning up emissions coming from power plants. This is why i recommend when doing soil tests, to check for more than the standard pH, p-k but to get sulfur in the package as well. In the grazing community we use a lot of ammonium sulfate and i include that in many of my dry fertilizers. Another factor people overlook is insect pressure. If there are leaf hoppers, aphids and other insects eating your forages, they will be under stress and less palatable. Lastly, if there is plant diseases, the forages will be less desirable. This is one huge reason why foliar plant foods are a huge thing i push.
I agree. I put corn out to see what deer I have on the property. I can show you countless pics where they walk off browsing and eating other natural forage.
I've heard it's a good idea to mow your clover plot every once in a while up until mid-August (in the northern tip of Maine, so the growing season is quite short here) so new growth comes up and it's more appetizing to the deer once the season rolls around. Is there truth to that or should I just let mine go?
