beans and peas,no chance

[ousoonerfan22]

One of my plots hasn't had any rain but had enough moisture in some spots in the soil that some of the pennington rackmaster peas and beans have started popping up,the deer are wiping them out before they have a chance to grow.This plot is covered with deer tracks so if we get that rain sunday this plot should be a good spot to hunt next month. I also have wheat,oats and rape mixed in this plot.

[dogdoc]

Re: beans and peas,no chance

i hear ya. This fall I broadcasted 50# of cowpeas in with my fall plot. I knew I'd lose them at the first freeze but looks like I don't have to worry about that--the deer are eating them as soon as they pop up.

todd

[wtnhunt]

Re: beans and peas,no chance

Hope you all can pick up some much needed rain over that way soon.

Been a pretty dry year here so far. Last I heard we were well below our normal averages for annual rainfalls, but I have been lucky with my plantings getting them in each time right before good rains.

[LETMGROW]

Re: beans and peas,no chance

Our soybean is getting hammered also. We planted an acre each side of our 5 acre corn field to keep the deer out of the corn until it got a chance to grow. It has worked out well.

I am reluctant to plant something like soybean in with wheat , rye or other later maturing plot. My thought behind this is why attract deer into a plot before it gets a chance to start growing.

Some of the seed mixes such as Milo, sunflower and soybean actually do draw in deer when the soybean just starts to grow. It is my opinion the deer would leave the milo alone longer if they wern't attracted to the plot early on by the tender soybean plants.

Our plan for next year is to break up the plantings even more, seperating different maturity rate plants even further apart. Seems like this whole food plot thing is one big experiment. That is part of the fun in it.

[Guest luckyman4]

Re: beans and peas,no chance

[ QUOTE ]

Our soybean is getting hammered also.

[/ QUOTE ].

I can vouch for that! In fact, I'd say it is an understatement.

[ QUOTE ]

I am reluctant to plant something like soybean in with wheat , rye or other later maturing plot. My thought behind this is why attract deer into a plot before it gets a chance to start growing.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think your theory makes alot of sense if you are growing your plot to provide nutrition, especially if you want that nutrition to be above the snowpack, which is necessary for our area. Alot of people plant fall plots strictly to attract deer for harvest during the hunting season, however. Would you have any reason to recommend against a prepackaged mix containing both beans and grains if they are planted for a harvest plot?

I usually tell people to plant whatever they can get to grow on their soils and in the amount of sunlight they have that gives a deer a reason to walk by their tree stand and pause long enough for a shot. I let them know that a harvest plot is not designed to increase the health of the herd, but it might help decrease the surplus population .