We worked so hard on our food plot in western NY. Look what they did. Ok deerz your gonna pay! View attachment 115608 View attachment 115610
That happened to my Alflafa field last year, now sell hay with a trace of Alfalfa Sent from my iPad using Bowhunting .com Forums
I had army worms do that to a two acre plot a couple of years ago. Completely wiped it out in less than a week. It went from beautiful to absolutely bare dirt. I sprayed it and replanted with marginal results. You could still throw some winter rye in there and do okay probably.
It was probably seven or eight years ago I had the same thing happen to me. I had done a ton of work on a clover plot that year. I kept checking on it and one day it looked like it was being heavily browsed. I was kind of excited, thinking deer were stuffing themselves. Two days later there was nothing left but stems here and there. I looked closer and the ground was moving. Army worms. Triazicide put an end to their existence. From what I was able to find on the internet, they are worse in dry years.
This was Tasmanian Deer Devils. They ate the food plot to the dirt in about 3weeks. We had nighttime videos of 15 or 20 together eating as well as bucks fighting in it. It was eaton to the ground. They finished destroying it 2 or three days before opening day. I still sat there a couple times and had a doe or two come but didn't shoot waiting to see if a buck would show. So disappointing after spending the money and time to grow it. Talked with a pal about a chemical fence to keepem out. May try that this coming yr. If that doesn't work we are done with food plots!
The surrounding farms that grew crops have slowly stopped growing over the yrs cuz theres no money in small scale farming. So here we are with deer attracting crops. The only planted food for a mile or so. Guess we should have known. Took them a bit to find it. But once they did LOOK OUT!