Food Plot Question

[Yungun]

This year I thought I would try something new so I bought a food plot mix from Caudill Seed in Louisville. It’s called “Autumn Food Plot Seed Mix” it was designed under the guidance and in co-operation with the University of Kentucky Wildlife Extension Service and was designed for our unique geography (that’s what the pamphlet says). The mix contains; Red Clover, Ladino Clover, Dwarf Essex Rape, Alfalfa, Winter Wheat, Spinach and Buckwheat. The plot is nice & green and looking good. Problem is, nothing is eating it! I do have a couple does that make a b-line straight through it to get to some honeysuckle. I do have lots of crops and acorns in the area, but there are lots of crops and acorns in the area every year (although the acorns were awfully early this year). So based on some of you guys expert opinions, why are the deer not eating something I planted just for them? Based on the different mix, is this something that might attract them after a few good frost? Any of you guys ever planted this? I really have no clue. Maybe I should have just planted honeysuckle.


Thanks

[pentail]

if it is green,they will get to it. i have never had a lot of luck with buckwheat, but everything else is great. is your clover up? they will hit the spinach and rape soon

[perrymax]

They are probably eating it here and there. I plant a mix I get at Mill St Farm Supply in Taylorsville every year. It's similar. They like the rape but they love Austrian winter peas. The deer and turkey pick through the plot and get the AWP as soon as they grow back up. I don't understand the buckwheat. It's a warm season plant I think? The rape will stand straight up most of the winter. The clovers are for the spring and summer next year. You will have to mow it to keep the clover going next year. They'll be in there sooner or later.

[wkyoutdoorsman]

All seem to be good food sources for deer and they will get to it sooner or later. With so much other available food that the deer are used to right now, the deer just seem to be going to those right now. If the field that you have planted the food plot in has not been planted with anything for quite some time that could also be an answer to your question. Once all the other available foods are pretty well gone the deer will be hitting your plot I guaranteed you that. With these early frosts we have had this year it should make things even better over your plot.

[Yungun]

All seem to be good food sources for deer and they will get to it sooner or later. With so much other available food that the deer are used to right now, the deer just seem to be going to those right now. If the field that you have planted the food plot in has not been planted with anything for quite some time that could also be an answer to your question. Once all the other available foods are pretty well gone the deer will be hitting your plot I guaranteed you that. With these early frosts we have had this year it should make things even better over your plot.

Thanks for the responses guys. Last time it was planted was the fall of 2006; winter peas, winter oats & ladino clover. It really came up good that year and had a lot of activity. It came back in the spring of 2007 & was nice until the summer when the peas & wheat died off. From that point on it kinda went down hill with the weeds taking over the clover. Last year it was mostly weeds with some clover, funny thing is, last year I had 27 bucks on trail cam and several does as well, but mainly bucks. After last year with all the buck sightings I was really looking forward to planting something this year to fatten them up. Talk about being bummed out..lol

Anyone else ever planted this??

[wkyoutdoorsman]

We used to plant a mixture very similar to this on a couple of our plots when we had a lease in Graves County, the only difference was we also planted winter peas and some milo in the mix. The deer ate on that plot like crazy. They always seemed to hit the peas, wheat, and clover first and some of the other stuff later on after a hard frost. It worked and worked well for us, particularly the plots that were between some CRP and thick woods, in a more remote area just off of a major food source, like beans, corn, or acorns. The deer will come just give it time.

[wardenofgame]

Did you do a soil test before you planted and lime to recommendations. if the soil has low ph the deer may not eat it much.

[Yungun]

Did you do a soil test before you planted and lime to recommendations. if the soil has low ph the deer may not eat it much.

No I didn't do a soil test. I did put out lime and fertilizer but I feel certain I didn't do it early enough. I'm pretty new to food plots and I did not know lime would effect the taste, I just thought it wouldn't grow as well. Thanks for the tip.

[Yungun]

Well, still no deer...I checked my camera yesterday and nothing!! The spinach is starting to turn purple, maybe this will help?

[DaveR]

I planted the same thing and sort of wish I hadn;t because it got out way too late. and the ground wasn't well prepped and it was expensive. Its coming in, but with a very late start. I put in some oats also, an they are doing best. the winter wheat should do good the colder it gets.
I wish I had planted more wheat or rye, much cheaper and really will be a later season source with all the other food and crop available early. Honeysuckle is definitely cheaper and less maintenance. They browse it, wherever its found.