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#1953569 - 06/08/10 04:31 PM Best Food Source
TennesseeWhiskey
4 Point


Registered: 12/11/01
Posts: 151
Loc: Giles County, Tennessee

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In your opinion, what is the absolute best food source for
sustaining and attracting deer? Acorns, standing corn,
soybeans, alfalfa, hybrid rye grass, clover, etc., etc.?

Thanks in advance for all replies,
TennesseeWhiskey
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#1953592 - 06/08/10 05:00 PM Re: Best Food Source [Re: TennesseeWhiskey]
Meateater
10 Point


Registered: 08/23/01
Posts: 2987
Loc: Winchester, TN / God's Country

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Acorns and natural browse. From what I have seen, everything else is eye-candy for hunters.

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#1953698 - 06/08/10 07:20 PM Re: Best Food Source [Re: Meateater]
BigGameGuy
TWRA Biologist
12 Point


Registered: 05/14/04
Posts: 6353
Loc: Nashville

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Early successional habitat. Why settle on giving the deer one course when they would much rather prefer a smorgasbord?
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#1953729 - 06/08/10 07:55 PM Re: Best Food Source [Re: BigGameGuy]
Hawk
TnDeer Old Timer
12 Point


Registered: 09/03/99
Posts: 6141
Loc: west tenn.

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Early successional habitat.
Care to elaborate.
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#1953742 - 06/08/10 08:09 PM Re: Best Food Source [Re: Hawk]
BigGameGuy
TWRA Biologist
12 Point


Registered: 05/14/04
Posts: 6353
Loc: Nashville

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In simple terms, early successional habitat is the first growth that takes over when you "let things go". When the land is cleared and sunlight is allowed to hit the ground, the native seed beds is kicked into gear. What bursts forth is usually a plethora of native plants usually beginning with forbes and grasses. After that shrubs begin to dominate the landscape which, over-time will eventually give way to forests (late successional habitat). The best thing about native browse found in early successional habitat is it's tremendously abundant and the variety meets all the nutritional needs of the deer. In fact, it's so good, the deer have been eating it for tens of thousands of years.

The best way to identify early successional habitat is if you begin walking in stuff that's so thick it's akin to walking in a jungle...you already found it! And not only do the deer like eating it, it's primary cover as well so it's one of the best things for attracting and holding deer on your property. It's just a royal pain to hunt in!
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If given the choice between education and regulation, I'll choose education every time.

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#1953904 - 06/08/10 08:51 PM Re: Best Food Source [Re: BigGameGuy]
richmanbarbeque
16 Point


Registered: 07/17/03
Posts: 12771
Loc: Middle, Tn

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BGG, I agree with your post but my only question is what grasses are you talking about?
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#1953927 - 06/08/10 09:04 PM Re: Best Food Source [Re: richmanbarbeque]
tndrbstr
16 Point


Registered: 10/06/05
Posts: 12157
Loc: knox co tn

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 Originally Posted By: richmanbarbeque
BGG, I agree with your post but my only question is what grasses are you talking about?



just guessin but I would say BGG might be talkin about native bunch grasses, like blue stem and switch grass. oak ridge wma, and probably others, are lettin a lot of natural grasses take over under power lines and other openings to cut down on maint cost as I understand it.....

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#1953953 - 06/08/10 09:19 PM Re: Best Food Source [Re: tndrbstr]
Boone 58
16 Point


Registered: 06/23/04
Posts: 13533
Loc: Food Plot

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Acorns........
then grains where available.
Quality browse is hard to beat but Acorns are da bomb.
Then i would rank cat brier and honeysuckle and blackberry as the most common eaten where i hunt in wayne county. It is plentiful and usually everywehere you find cutover. Staghorn sumac is also very common and very eaten....
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#1954022 - 06/08/10 10:07 PM Re: Best Food Source [Re: BigGameGuy]
Setterman
8 Point


Registered: 12/31/09
Posts: 1783
Loc: Knoxville, TN

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 Originally Posted By: BigGameGuy
Early successional habitat. Why settle on giving the deer one course when they would much rather prefer a smorgasbord?


Agreed, it is available most of the year and provides plenty of nutrients as well.

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#1954393 - 06/09/10 11:36 AM Re: Best Food Source [Re: Setterman]
Football Hunter
18 Point


Registered: 10/22/07
Posts: 24550
Loc: Wilson Co/Perry Co

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Acorns.....and poke salad
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