Possible spring food suggestions.

I have a small area an I'm lookin for an easy suggestion for somethin green for the deer to browse? It gets ok sunlight more broken then direct an is pretty moisture rich ground. Any suggestions would help!

 

Just looking for spring?

 

Well I was plannin on doin a clover/chicory mix for this kill plot, but kinda got talked into waitin till August based on some research. My problem is I want somethin to grow during spring summer just to get somethin goin for the deer. It's not gonna be their main food source just a spot a lot of the deer on our property tend to cross on their way out of the beddin areas. Just want somethin simple basically but still have nutritional value for em.

 

Cause they're easy/require less and I needed something to out grow weeds so my plot in the fall would be better....... I've planted oats in the spring and tilled them back up come summer.

 

As I said in your other post, if you can wait for a fall planting, do so. If not, and you want some green up, buckwheat is an option. It can (should) go in around May well after the last frost, but it grows quickly and on pretty much any soil. That will provide cover and food to small game, turkeys, and deer will also eat it. Then you can till it under in the fall for green manure and plant a true fall kill plot.

 

Right on Matt. Buckwheat hs another great idea

 

Keep the suggestions coming guys.

Im getting mixed between clover/chicory or oats now...

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Yes between you in the other post an a few articles I've read it is better just because planting later will/should make it more attractive for deer being its fresh new growth.

Now for buckwheat, any thing I need to keep in mind or is it a pretty easy plant to work with?

 

Where are you hot on clover/chicory?

That's where I started, because of reading I had done. Fact of the matter is, unless you have real equipment, a knowledge of how and when to use it, and then time and money to maintain and prep for those crops.

Most guys read about chicory/clover on qdma and think its the be all end all and it is but it requires everything to be right.

 

Annndddd thats why im second guessing. I DO have real equipment, but what i really want is something to keep the deer around in the summer. I have the corn, the beans, and the water. Im just looking to make my property better then the next guys.

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If you have beans, there's not a lot that you're gonna plant that they'll want more than those green summer beans.

Buy minerals and a feeder.

They may use your clover if its nice, and prefer it after beans are brown, but you can achieve that much easier with a fall planting.

Better than the neighbors only counts when you can pull the trigger.

The number one characteristic that makes a deer stay on a property, ESP bucks.....cover. At least IMO.

 

The cover is set already. The bucks bed where they bed. Drawing them to dinner is the key.

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Is the cover on your prop?

 

Most of the good buck bedding areas are not. Some are reletively close though. The difference is the pressure. My land also gets used for fishing, atvs, wood cutting, farming...ect. Thats unchangable. Most trail cam pics of mature bucks are after dark.. Naturally. The key is getting good food sources set up where i can control the preasure in the am and pm.

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i like the buckwheat for summer then till it under and sew clover and chicory great idea

 

You can plant clover and chicory in mid april and by the end of may beginning of june you will have a nice lush full plot..you will have to cut it a couple times during the summer.Chicory grows fast and you dont want it to be over 6 inches tall or it will seed out. just do a ph on your soil before you plant..clover and chicory work together so well because chicory uses the nitrogen the clover puts in the soil.Chicory gets sweeter tasting as the weather gets colder and becomes even more palatible to deer.Chicory also crowds out the weeds to keep the plot lush and full. Spray once before you plant and you should be good to go for the season..

 

For hunting right?

 

Yes, for hunting.

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Caleb, is your location in field or woods?

 

Mixture of both. Fields along the roads...woods in the "back". Farmers have corn and alfalfa planted this year.

One of my large foodplots is located in the woods, within 150 yards of thick bedding that is not on my property but huntable.

The other large plot is located between two large cornfields...intermittent bedding around that plot.

And my kill plot is in the woods between bedding areas (neighbor property) and the above mentioned corn. When i get on a computer i could post a map.

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