Food plot question?

I went to check my clover food plots today and they are all up to about the bottom of my knee . There are many deer beds in them and look to be doing great with the deer chewing on alot of the plot. My question is, is that in the past five years I’ve always cut them when they get this high then they grow back and the deer usually mow it after the first time I cut it. They usually only need the one mowing then the deer usually hit em enough. The question is what would happen if I left them and didnt give them a first mow??..would the clover fall over and die or maintain?? I know the deer do like the smaller younger clover but just curious what you all think? Thanks Jay

good question im a mower i mow mine once a month so not sure hope you get some good answers

Jay I believe the plant obviously grows bigger but the quality goes downhill. I think it becomes less tender and sorta stalky making it less appealing to the deer and the lower part of the plant suffers to because lack of sunlight. Just what I’ve heard.

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Jay I believe the plant obviously grows bigger but the quality goes downhill. I think it becomes less tender and sorta stalky making it less appealing to the deer and the lower part of the plant suffers to because lack of sunlight. Just what I’ve heard.

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x2 That is what I have heard also.

It becomes far less palitable the more it matures, and you will start getting more unwanted weed growth if you don’t mow it.

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It becomes far less palitable the more it matures, and you will start getting more unwanted weed growth if you don’t mow it.

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Some good points. I also think that clover (like alfalfa) has its highest protein (or nutritional) value before it flowers. On our farm, we always try to cut our hay crop when 10% of the alfalfa is blooming to optimize it’s nutritional value and mass.

Jay – If you have the ability to mow your plots on a continual basis then you most certaintly should! Deer thrive on and love more than anything the fresh new sprouts that come up. Once the plant gets to be more than 6″ tall it loses a lot of it’s appeal to the deer. This is information I got straight from a deer biologist/writer that specializes in deer nutrition. He is a frequent contributor to Deer and Deer Hunting Magazine http://www.deeranddeerhunting.com/contributors/ Matt Harper probably knows more about deer nutrition and food plots then 99% of the people out there. I trust his advise and his results more than speak for themselves if you catch my drift!!

Thanks for the feed back..I did cut them all today and you all told me what I had already thought…Looks like Ill keep cutting them…C’mon Sept Thanks again…Jay