Best crops for attracting deer

[Deerman]

Hi folks,

I would like to read your opinions on the best food crops to attract deer to an area. My permissions are in the Cambs/Beds area and it is all arable with sparse pockets of woodland. The deer move about a lot, which is confirmed by their tracks everywhere, but they seem to always be on the move as there is not a lot of cover for them. I have spoken to the farm manager about planting a food plot in some areas where the soil is not good enough for arables and he has given me the green light. The question is: what plants would you recommend? A friend suggested clover.

Look forward to your comments.

Regards,

George

 

[mudman]

Chicory with maybe some yellow clover.Will not get much in the first year but in subsequent years there will be both cover and food from this mix. (Unless the deer eat it all!).

 

[longlowdog]

For a single season crop you will not beat stubble turnips or kale. Long term you might pinch some ideas from the American adverts for deer food plot mixtures. Chicory if allowed to get tall enough to flower is great, though an acquired taste when small.
Remember that the costs of establishing food plots is not cheap. Ploughing, levelling, seeding and perhaps fertilising all add up and charges are much higher for small jobs. If the plots also need fencing to prevent early season devastation by the same deer you want to nurture for later on, then costs will really escalate.

 

[Cougar]

You might also like to try buckwheat.

 

[sinbad]

whenever they plant maize on the land I stalk the fallow love it!
Sinbad.

 

[trouble]

maze is great for rats , kale will need spraying against flea beetle . When its rough ploughed braodcast some beans on it , work it down , broadcast chickory an clover , drill a mixture of wheat and oats late summer throw some stubble turnips amongst it