sun flowers for deer??

has anyone planted sunflowers for deer? if so what use did they serve? food? cover? foodplot screening?

 

When I was stationed in Minot afb, nd, I'd hunt near the sunflower fields for just about all the reasons you mentioned.

 

Roughly how many acres were the fields?

 

Whew, these were large farmer's fields. I'd find some intersecting trails that led to lake darling area.

I dunno what food/water sources you have around, but it was a favorite of the deer when I was there, that and corn. But mind you this wasn't my land. I was hunting public or with the farmer's permission

 

the best part was when the fields weren't cut till later, after the other stuff was harvested.

i'm sure you could plant just a small plot for later season.

 

Sunflowers in some areas, deer devour and give little chance to fully develop. Just like lablab , forage soybeans and other succulent plants, I usually recommend to include in a diverse mix, that will allow your plot to have success with various weather conditions and consumption levels. I hate to ever see the ground bare.

 

I planted a 1/4 acre plot of sunflowers a couple of years ago for dove hunting. But the deer nibbled on the young sprouts, they really went crazy when the heads matured they eat every last head. They would eat them all too not the seeds, the whole thing!

 

We will not plant them by themselves because our deer won't let them even reach 1/4 height of maturity...at times they'll never get higher than our boots.

 

I plant a mix(Redzone) every year that has sunflowers in it. It has sunflowers,early maturing soybeans,late maturing soybeans,buckwheat,peas. I use it as a screen kinda,birds and deer eat them and my mom thought i planted them just for her so she took a bunch home haha.
Planting some here tomorrow.

Here this picture is taken last August. I left two sides of the plot standing in that mix and got some mix planted (winter rye/brassicas) in the middle. The strips of this go back behind me also:

 

I'm thinking about planting sunflowers in a small area right by our cabin. When do they need to go in the ground by? How sensitive or fussy are they to fertilizer and PH requirements?

 

^ I am planting this mix this weekend. Fertilizer/ph- loaded question. This plot here didnt get much fertilizer but the ph is up near where it should be and it did ok. I say plant them and find out Never know.

 

we got a 50lb bag of them and ive heard that it will do 3-4 acres so ive got a spot picked out but it is not tilled. Does the ground need to be worked before broadcasting or can i broadcast them in the field? The field is a last years corn field that was harvested and has grown up a little with weeds.

 

Field needs to be worked up. Broadcasting them will just end up getting eaten by the birds.

 

^^^^this^^^^
Or no-tilled in....which I do.

 

When people call and ask me what to plant or what fertilizer or liming requirements are needed. I am amazed people don't spend the $10 to do a soil test, when they are willing to spend $30-100 an acre on seed that MIGHT or MIGHT NOT grow well, based on their soil conditions and profile.

If your unsure what is below the soil surface, then plant stuff thats close to full proof...Rape, buckwheat, Winfred brassica, radish, berseem clover, or alsike clover.