Food Plot Management

I was watching the Outdoor Channel last night, Drury’s Biologic. Mark Drury was talking about seeing these bucks during the scouting phase before the bow-opener. There were many bucks in the soy bean field that was planted in early spring. Once the bow hunnting season started, Mark Drury noticed that the deer population in that bean field area dropped off substainally. So what they decided to do was till up those beans that were heavily browsed around the wood line about 50 yards out, then re-planted Oats in early/mid September. The rains arrived and the Oats started to grow. From what Mark was talking about made sense – the beans started to brown up, making them less palatable. Rather, the deer wanted something more succulent to eat vs. the dried up beans. So it made me think? Maybe the deer in the area I hunt disappear because of the food vs. hunting pressure. My theory is once the leaves fall, the amount of deer in my area seem to go too. Ironically, my buddy planted Oats this year for the 1st time. Time will tell.

I’ve always thought that beans were a good early food source(still green leaves) or a late season food source. When they leaves turn color, deer don’t eat them. Later, when there is snow on the ground, they dig for beans like crazy.
I’ve noticed that acorns start falling about the time that the beans start coming down, too. Maybe the deer are switching to acorns.
I hunt a place that gets a fall planting of winter wheat for a cover crop and a “green manure” that gets plowed down in the Spring. The deer really like that stuff, any time, any season.

I had a bean field close to my office that I monitored every morning and evening. Deer sightings over the summer were high and dropped off significantly once the leaves browned up.

At my old place, I rented out a 16 acre field to my neighbor. I loved it when he had alfalfa or corn planted…. hated when it was beans Exactly as some have said, once the beans dry, the deer do not browse.

big G

i had deer come to my turnip plot tonite but only to eat acorns from the surrounding oak trees wanted nothing to do with the greens but after a good frost they will be back on the turnips and ill be waiting

I plant Imperial Whitetail Wintergrens in the fall and i tell you it is amazing to see the results. Even when the beans are still in they go crazy for it.

I have a oat food plot and they seem to like that one right now even over the acorns I have and I have lot of oaks which = lots of acorn. Makes it hard to get into the stand quiet.(crunch crack snap pop) I have another food plot too but they don’t seem to be hitting it hard as the oats. That food plot has alot of clover and rape seed (we need a good frost)its growing good but the deer don’t seem to be picking it over as well.

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I’ve always thought that beans were a good early food source(still green leaves) or a late season food source. When they leaves turn color, deer don’t eat them. Later, when there is snow on the ground, they dig for beans like crazy.

I’ve noticed that acorns start falling about the time that the beans start coming down, too. Maybe the deer are switching to acorns.

I hunt a place that gets a fall planting of winter wheat for a cover crop and a “green manure” that gets plowed down in the Spring. The deer really like that stuff, any time, any season.

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Agreed!

Beny I hear you on the frost. My plot up North finally got a few good freeezes last week. So hopefully it turns those plants into Deer Heaven.

Here is a trick for those that plant Beans. This year I planted round-up ready beans. In mid August I broadcast Rape seed over the top. The Rape will come up very nice in the beans as the dry and become less palatable. Rape if very attractive in the fall and grows well in the abscence of weeds, which the roundup will take care of.

Another cheap option is Winter Wheat or Rye over the top of the beans. Both can be broadcast and will come up after the first good rain. I don’t like to till up a food plot mid way through the year because there are other animals, like Turkey that will still use the beans.

The beans will get eaten eventually. The Deer will devour those in the late season once the snow flies!

Beans

That is a very good late season crop for me to sit on. I get to see alot of deer pushing snow around to find those beans knocked down and around.

Scott

That is a good idea to mix in the some early-mid fall food. umm…I think I will try that next year.

To have a continued food base that attracts deer the whole time you are out there is very good thinking. Nice work

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Scott

That is a good idea to mix in the some early-mid fall food. umm…I think I will try that next year.

To have a continued food base that attracts deer the whole time you are out there is very good thinking. Nice work

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I agree!

How abouts “mowing” over the beans, then broadcasting some of that Rape seed.

Craig, you won’t need to mow the beans, I would let them stand so they can be found easily in the snow. Rape seed is tiny and you can spread it by hand if you want. The biggest mistake people make with Rape is they plant it to thick. On most of our small plots I walk through and throw out handfuls of Rape seed. The seed is tiny and the plants grow well, you will be suprised how good it covers.

One thing to remember about Rape is it takes a lot of Nitrogen from the soil so you may want to pick a fertilizer the following year that is very higher in N to start the year, or you will be deficient.

I think mowing would be illegal in MN…wouldn’t it? Mowing is improper harvesting and if you hunted over a mowed field wouldn’t that be considered a baited field?

Anyone know?