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Best thing for over winter forage?

Simple question. Lots of things are over with when it freezes, so I guess that leaves the grains and root crops. Anything else? Root crops are hard to dig when the ground freezes ... So what is the best thing to plant to help out the deer during the deep winter?

White cedar?

OK, non forest products. Annuals. Besides small cedars get eaten to death mostly around here.

I leave 10 or so acres of corn standing along with winter wheat, rye, clover and what ever else I have planted. There are also some apples that are left on the trees.

The thing that hurts us the most is the over browsing of the aspen trees. I can't justify putting up a 10-12 foot high fence around 17 acres so the trees can mature. Neighbors need to shoot more deer in order for these trees to come back.

Fall planted brassicas and bulbs. Grandpa Ray Outdoors Frosty Delight and Fall Draw are both excellent options.

It depends on how big of an area you have to plant. We have 4 acres so I primarily plant corn, beans, clover, and overseed beans with rye or turnips. Reason is I want the main attraction to be during the hunting seasons. If we had more plot acreage I would plant more radishes as they get hammered in the winter months. Welter seed co, cheap and lots of seed to choose from.

Great info guys. Keep the suggestions coming.

Lots of great options to benefit wildlife. Great to see so many hunters who care.

Novice, I like beans with brassica or rye grain added later. Like suggested above. Look up Lick Creek's brassica/cereal grain rotation.

I just planted 4 acres of beans yesterday and will broadcast rye grain over top when they start to yellow. This works good as long as you worked the ground for planting the beans, not no-tillage. At least with my soil type is does. Good luck.

Sugarbeets, deer will eat them below the ground. Or corn and beans.

Rhubarb. Grows like wildfire during the summer and deer tend to leave them alone. Chewed down to stumps after snowfall

The above bean field just came out of beets, radishes and turnips. They do love the beets. A little harder to grow where I am at. And no more than two years in a row is recommended.

Thanks folks. sagittarius, where do we get sugar beet seeds in bulk?

Sugar Beets can be tough to grow. There is a source of Round Up ready Sugar Beets in Michigan. I will find it if you want. I would be interested to hear more reports on Sugar Beets by people that have grown then, anyone? I know you asked for annuals, but clear cutting some areas in your woods and letting it come back naturally is a great way to go. Simply cut back when needed every few years. You can even do a soil test and amend as needed. Try to restore natural foods for deer that they prefer. I plant corn, soybeans to help over the winter. We over seed some of the soybeans in late summer as someone stated above. BC

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