I have a great looking 3 acre plot with oats, turnips, clover and Alfa rack and the deer are just not using it, they sometimes just walk through it and never put their head down but most of the time nothing comes through it at all but I'm seeing deer at other locations around the. What do you guys think the problem could be?
Food Plots deer not using plots
- Thread starter deer hunter 21
- Start date
Teacher
Well-Known Member
Acorns.
bigtex
Well-Known Member
Yep, I agree.Teacher said:
Teacher said:
Yep.
Do you go to the plot alot? Checking trail cams, etc.Deer in your area may not like what you planted.Only go there now when you are hunting.I had that problem a few yrs ago.Now I only go there when I am hunting.This yr I planted 2 Acres in Eagle beans ( Large Lad) and about a half arce in Biologic Maxium and a half arce in Dakion Radishes.Deer are wearin it out.Day and night.I too have a very large acorn mast crop yr.Keep the 4 wheelers away from the area totally.
Very rarely drive an atv in there and when I'm hunting is the only time I go and thats once a week so I dont wear the stand out. You maybe right about them not liking what was planted.
Vermin93
Well-Known Member
I have a mix of oats and wheat that the deer are barely touching. This is on a timber company lease that is 95% pines. The nearest acorns are quite a ways off.
drrxnupe
Well-Known Member
Deer eat different things at different times. Last year my 1st year plots with wheat, brassicas, and clover didn't get used til late December and early January. This year (2nd year of plots) they are hitting them a lot earlier.
I plant different things in my plots so deer will use different things at various times.They have hammered the Biologic and now are working on the Radishes,beans will work all season.Atv never gets near my plots,I always use a tractor to bring the deer out,walk in to check the Cameras.Works for me.
woodsman87
Well-Known Member
I've had this problem too. Some years they eat it, and other years they dont.
Mast production is a factor, but it isn't all there is to it. I have had two years in a row of heavy mast, but they still feed in my plots too. Looks to be typical, feeding more on acorns, but hitting plots as they go through.
I think the weather has a major impact on food plots and deer. I believe it was three years ago, it was so warm in November, that my oats and wheat was about a foot tall and started to produce seed heads.
Once a plant somewhat matures, I do not think they eat it. They like it tender.
To keep that from happening, I try to wait until late September to plant.
Mast production is a factor, but it isn't all there is to it. I have had two years in a row of heavy mast, but they still feed in my plots too. Looks to be typical, feeding more on acorns, but hitting plots as they go through.
I think the weather has a major impact on food plots and deer. I believe it was three years ago, it was so warm in November, that my oats and wheat was about a foot tall and started to produce seed heads.
Once a plant somewhat matures, I do not think they eat it. They like it tender.
To keep that from happening, I try to wait until late September to plant.
We used to mix our seed, now we seperate them and plant side by side. We found that our deer typically eat the oats early and do not eat the winter wheat until later in the season. When we planted together, they typically tromped on the WW eating the oats. Since we seperated, they are eating the oats and staying out of the WW while it continues to grow. We planted "Big Buck Blend" a few years back and had the least amount of plot use ever. Did not do that again. You just have to figure out waht your deer like.
I planted plots for the first time this year. Getting lots of young does and very young bucks in them but nothing mature. I am seeing more sign in staging areas right next to the fields in thick stuff and I think they have changed travel routes for the mature deer to not have to walk through the open area but they can graze just inside cover and wait until dark. I'm finding rubs and scrapes in areas they have never been before. Therefore, I have changed my stand locations backing off the plot some so I can see some staging areas.
I have two very small plots planted in clover and winter wheat. I thought it was stunted because it shot up to about 3 inches in a week but just stopped. I was getting discouraged so I put up a trail cam. Apparently the deer are just mowing it down. They are there just about every day. Now again, my plots are small so it doesnt take much to thin them out.
BSK
Well-Known Member
Teacher said:
This
Swampster
Well-Known Member
My acorn production was lower than usual. I've noticed them picking the leftover soybeans for a couple of weeks.
Bodine270
Well-Known Member
I planted winter peas in September. First time to try them. They are only a few inches high and the deer are wearing em out. I had 16 does hit the plot last weekend. This is the fourth year to plant a plot here and this is the best result ever.
Big H Dawg fan
New Member
check the soil PH
