Food Plots Oats Failure - and I don't mean they didn't grow

[DeerCamp]

Hoping someone can weigh in here.

I had heard such good things about Forage Oats, so I decided to plant about 1.5 acres of them this year around mid-September..

The soil was well fertilized and limed, and the oats grew really well.

Problem is the deer just didn't eat them. They are 10-14 inches tall and starting to yellow. You have to look real hard to even find a blade that has been chewed.

Anyone else had this experience? I'm putting out an "emergency" 100 lbs of winter wheat today. But I'm disappointed in the oats for sure.

 

[BSK]

If they are yellowing, sounds like a nutrient deficiency in the soil. That could greatly alter their taste to deer.

 

[Spurhunter]

I've planted Buck Forage Oats with great results, even though I never did a soil sample or limed. My oats never got near 10 inches tall because the deer would mow them down. Typically I planted them the 3rd Saturday in September. The deer seemed to like them best mid to late December. I wonder if you prepared your soil so well that your oats jumped up before the deer were ready for them? I've heard deer won't mess with plots much as long as they have plenty of acorns to eat. How is the acorn crop in your area?

 

[DeerCamp]

If they are yellowing, sounds like a nutrient deficiency in the soil. That could greatly alter their taste to deer.

I don't think there is a deficiency, but maybe an imbalance.

Others have said the oats yellow when they go dormant, but I'm not sure.

 

[DeerCamp]

I've planted Buck Forage Oats with great results, even though I never did a soil sample or limed. My oats never got near 10 inches tall because the deer would mow them down. Typically I planted them the 3rd Saturday in September. The deer seemed to like them best mid to late December. I wonder if you prepared your soil so well that your oats jumped up before the deer were ready for them? I've heard deer won't mess with plots much as long as they have plenty of acorns to eat. How is the acorn crop in your area?

Acorn city from what I have seen. I just would have though they would have been in them at least before the acorns dropped.

You can see some foraging occurred, but not as much as last year with Cereal Rye.

 

[muddyboots]

They have plenty to eat. Have not needed them yet. Mid December will b hot.

 

[BSK]

I put Austrian Winter Peas (AWP) in my fall plots because, in my area, they are a candy plant to deer. AWP are the first of the cool season plants in the mix to get eaten to the ground, and that usually occurs pretty early (late October). This year, I've got plots full of AWP a foot tall into mid-November. never seen anything like it. Just goes to show what a draw a big acorn crop is.

 

[JBell]

Same here. Head 25 deer in my yard every night last year. This year I have winter peas that are gonna mature and reseed themselves see 2-3 deer a couple of times a week this year. Don't blame the oats. Mother Nature looked after her own this year

 

[megalomaniac]

I put Austrian Winter Peas (AWP) in my fall plots because, in my area, they are a candy plant to deer. AWP are the first of the cool season plants in the mix to get eaten to the ground, and that usually occurs pretty early (late October). This year, I've got plots full of AWP a foot tall into mid-November. never seen anything like it. Just goes to show what a draw a big acorn crop is.

They are barely touching my AWP as well in my 8ac field... but hitting the radishes a fair amount despite the heavy acorn crop. I can't really tell how much browse pressure there is on the cereal rye except in the very small plots... in those, they are putting pressure on everything.

 

[DeerCamp]

I put Austrian Winter Peas (AWP) in my fall plots because, in my area, they are a candy plant to deer. AWP are the first of the cool season plants in the mix to get eaten to the ground, and that usually occurs pretty early (late October). This year, I've got plots full of AWP a foot tall into mid-November. never seen anything like it. Just goes to show what a draw a big acorn crop is.

I planted AWP for the first time this year, and I didn't plant nearly enough. They wiped them out.

Lesson learned.

 

[BSK]

I planted AWP for the first time this year, and I didn't plant nearly enough. They wiped them out.

Lesson learned.

I use high seeding rates in my plots because they receive so much pressure. Most "recommended" seeding rates are based on trying to get the entire crop to maturity. They are not factoring the heavy browse pressure associated with food plots.

 

[AlabamaSwamper]

My plots are way too tall also including the oats

But I'm sure the 765397 million acorns are keeping them out of the fields

 

[BSK]

My plots are way too tall also including the oats

But I'm sure the 765397 million acorns are keeping them out of the fields

I was getting great trail-camera data from my food plots until, oh about mid-October! Haven't been able to buy a deer picture/video from the food plots since then! I actually still have winter peas a foot tall. I've never seen them last this long. Usually deer have them eaten to the ground by early November.

 

[AlabamaSwamper]

No doubt

I got friends in north Alabama with feeders that have corn knee deep under them. They say the deer won't touch it. One said they will eat the rice bran but won't touch the corn.

I told them there'sa billion acorns laying in the woods.

I actually think my plots need to be mowed

But, the deer will be better for it I guess so I'll just take the good with the bad. With weights having been down 20-30% they are now creeping back up. 4.5 year old bucks aren't supposed to weigh 140lb but the last two years they have, or less. Usually they are 170-185. My second biggest Tennessee deer in 2019 was 4.5 and weighed 124lb.


Three years of complete acorns failures have really showed

 

[7mmWSM]

Hoping someone can weigh in here.

I had heard such good things about Forage Oats, so I decided to plant about 1.5 acres of them this year around mid-September..

The soil was well fertilized and limed, and the oats grew really well.

Problem is the deer just didn't eat them. They are 10-14 inches tall and starting to yellow. You have to look real hard to even find a blade that has been chewed.

Anyone else had this experience? I'm putting out an "emergency" 100 lbs of winter wheat today. But I'm disappointed in the oats for sure.

Sounds like maybe you planted too early if they're already that tall. That's the biggest mistake I see with planting oats. Looks like you did well with the fertilizer and such. Deer like oats best in my opinion when they're 4-6" tall. A couple of things happen if they get very tall. Deer won't eat them as much because they're not as tender. But the worst part is oats as they grow will fork off with height. Then when a frost hits them they turn yellow. You might as well disc them under then. I've planted oats for well over 20+ years. And planted anywhere from 15-20 plots a year during that time. This is my most important tip I can give you: never plant before the 1st or 2nd week in Oct! The oats will stay short and deer will destroy them. Put you a wire basket in the field to monitor it. You'll be surprised. Also over the years I've planted Buck Forage Oats one time. Never went back to them again. One thing is they kept stopping up in my planter with the long husk on them. I think it's just an advertising gimmick to get you to spend that much money on their product. I ALWAYS plant Bob Oats. They're $18 for a 50lb bag this year. My buddies and I have used nothing but Bob Oats now for years. Deer will cross our clover to feed in the oats.
My advice is mainly plant later in the season. Fertilizing you've covered well it sounds like. I think you'll see better results.

 

[DeerCamp]

Sounds like maybe you planted too early if they're already that tall. That's the biggest mistake I see with planting oats. Looks like you did well with the fertilizer and such. Deer like oats best in my opinion when they're 4-6" tall. A couple of things happen if they get very tall. Deer won't eat them as much because they're not as tender. But the worst part is oats as they grow will fork off with height. Then when a frost hits them they turn yellow. You might as well disc them under then. I've planted oats for well over 20+ years. And planted anywhere from 15-20 plots a year during that time. This is my most important tip I can give you: never plant before the 1st or 2nd week in Oct! The oats will stay short and deer will destroy them. Put you a wire basket in the field to monitor it. You'll be surprised. Also over the years I've planted Buck Forage Oats one time. Never went back to them again. One thing is they kept stopping up in my planter with the long husk on them. I think it's just an advertising gimmick to get you to spend that much money on their product. I ALWAYS plant Bob Oats. They're $18 for a 50lb bag this year. My buddies and I have used nothing but Bob Oats now for years. Deer will cross our clover to feed in the oats.
My advice is mainly plant later in the season. Fertilizing you've covered well it sounds like. I think you'll see better results.

Thank you for the info!

 

[BSK]

Interesting stuff 7mmWSM.

 

[diamond hunter]

I thought buck forage oats kept growing in the cold and the others stopped once it got cold?