Born2Hunt Posted November 30, 2005 Report Share Posted November 30, 2005 I have 110 acres that is surounded by swamp and cover a normal person could not get through.We have planted 3 acres into high protien plots and have had great success seeing good deer in the early fall but that is it. Our plots are planted into 10 different strips in an open field with no cover. In the mid fall we see less and less deer and our neighbors see more in their standing corn.Is my problem due to the lack of feeding cover or do deer prefer corn over foodplots? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Born2Hunt Posted November 30, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2005 Re: Corn vs. Foodplots Thanks for the reply lets pull our hair out together on the count of 3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogdoc Posted November 30, 2005 Report Share Posted November 30, 2005 Re: Corn vs. Foodplots [ QUOTE ] In the mid fall we see less and less deer and our neighbors see more in their standing corn.Is my problem due to the lack of feeding cover or do deer prefer corn over foodplots? [/ QUOTE ] I think the lack of feeding cover makes a big difference--especially during the hunting season. It doesn't take long for a buck to know when human pressure increases. I like to plant my plots next to really heavy thick cover. This is referred to as an edge. The EDGE of a field before the land turns into heavy cover or timber. Deer feel much more comfortable feeding on an edge. However--you can make your own edge also. Planting a nice strip of wheat or rye within a milo or sorghum field. For example--in the spring you could plant your open field in a mixture of soybeans and forage sorghum. This sorghum will grow to up to 6 feet. Then in the late summer disc strips within the sorghum and plant winter wheat or rye. In the winter the dead standing sorghum will act as cover as the deer feed in the wheat and rye. As far as corn--yep it is highly attractive but in my experience deer will pass on corn (from a feeder) for a well fertilized lush food plot anyday. I always keep feeders going 24/7 with a mixture of corn and chicken scrap for the turkeys. Yes deer will feed on the corn but not near as much as my food plots. good luck with your land todd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Born2Hunt Posted November 30, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2005 Re: Corn vs. Foodplots evolved habitat makes a product called maximize with soybean and forage milo that I have considerd to plant around plots to create an edge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogdoc Posted November 30, 2005 Report Share Posted November 30, 2005 Re: Corn vs. Foodplots Here is an example of a plot that I see quite a bit of daytime activity. I shot a great buck on this plot last year and just last week I passed on a nice 3.5 year old 8 pointer with the bow. On the left is really thick cover that you can barely walk thru which goes on about 15 yards then leads into some thick black jack trees. The middle is a long strip (150 yards long) of clover, trefoil, and chicory (Hamann Farms Fall Mix), and to the right is a spring mix of cowpeas, soybeans, milo, millet, and sorghum. The sorghum creates a tall "wall"--the deer feel very comfortable as they feel protected from both sides. todd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted November 30, 2005 Report Share Posted November 30, 2005 Re: Corn vs. Foodplots Been kind of wondering what has been going on with our plots here lately too, there has been an incredible decline in the number of deer we are seeing and the frequency we are seeing them. We have pretty good cover next to all our plots, with one having a drop right from the edge of the plot off to a thick heavily wooded river bottom. Just not seeing the daylight activity we did a couple years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texan_Til_I_Die Posted November 30, 2005 Report Share Posted November 30, 2005 Re: Corn vs. Foodplots I think dogdoc's dead on with the "lack of cover" idea. Another suggestion I have is to run a few fingers of the plot out into the woods. They don't have to be very wide, but try to make them as long as you can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockefeller66 Posted December 6, 2005 Report Share Posted December 6, 2005 Re: Corn vs. Foodplots yup, them deer will eat your plots but only at night Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockefeller66 Posted December 11, 2005 Report Share Posted December 11, 2005 Re: Corn vs. Foodplots maybe hunting pressure puts them over there, the deer could be hitting that corn, that stuff is like candy to them when the cold hits Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted December 17, 2005 Report Share Posted December 17, 2005 Re: Corn vs. Foodplots yup, lack of cover will keep deer out of your plot..narrow secluded area are better, corn gives security while providing food....deer will actually stay in the corn if not pushed out.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LETMGROW Posted December 20, 2005 Report Share Posted December 20, 2005 Re: Corn vs. Foodplots There are some great ideas to ponder on in these responses. What about mixing in some sunflowers to benefit the turkeys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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