Mule deer food plots
Whitetail Deer
I have access to a place that has a 75% mule deer to 25% whitetail population.
Last fall I put in a plot that was awn-less winter wheat, Dakin radishes and threw in a little Winfred brassica seed. I plan on killing the wheat and planting soybeans early next June. I will likely broadcast awn-less winter wheat and radishes into the plot come fall.
I am going to put in other plot(s) elsewhere this spring and was leaning towards white clover and possibly milo.
Does anyone have a Mule deer planting that they relish?
Looking for ideas.
Sainfoin, or alfalfa are your best bet. They will eat about everything but other than in the mountains of the west where an alfalfa field is gold, they don’t really hit farmed fields like whitetail. I’ve watched Muleys come out of the corn to soybeans then to a pasture then next day go from a Milo field to alfalfa then spend all day in a wheat stubble field. Being browsers they need a bigger variety of feed to survive.
I thought Mulies kept on migration routes through the winter?
"I thought Mulies kept on migration routes through the winter?"
Food plots could have an effect of disrupting migration timing and educating the new generation.
Agriculture in the foothills has eliminated some formerly migratory herds of elk....
I don’t believe the original post was about winter food plots but ones to utilize during fall for hunting. And for the plains states isn’t technically every farmed field a food plot ??? The deer in these states don’t migrate anyway.
Seems like alfalfa always has a big draw…
I planted some winter wheat & the mule deer & elk haven’t paid much attention to it. Next spring I’m going to plant oats & sanfoin along side of my alfalfa & strawberry clover field.
I planted some winter wheat & the mule deer & elk haven’t paid much attention to it. Next spring I’m going to plant oats & sanfoin along side of my alfalfa & strawberry clover field.
Not all mulies migrate. We have a steady population along the northern front range year-round. A few new bucks show for rut, but when we had more around there were always nice bucks and doe all year.
I will be looking into the Sanfoin. Thanks
What pounds per acre do you plant Sanfoin (nonirrigated)? NRCS guide says 34 lbs to acre, but I believe that is for irrrigated. From what I read it is non-bloating incase cattle do get into it which is a possibility.
I have a long, skinny plot of about 3/4 acre that snakes along a creek ravine. I'm also a piss poor farmer. But so far clover has been the best and longest lasting forage. I over seeded winter rye into it a couple of times, but that has to get mowed or knocked down with a roller. I tried several of the Cabelas mixtures with turnips, radishes, beets, other brassicas and they were fine, but the deer would just eat it all after the first couple hard frosts. Might get a week out of the green tops. They weren't too keen on the tuber part but ate some. Although, I did eat the turnips and radishes whenever I was there.
I would think your best bet would be a clover, alfalfa mix, heavy on the clover.
I planted some winter wheat & the mule deer & elk haven’t paid much attention to it. Next spring I’m going to plant oats & sanfoin along side of my alfalfa & strawberry clover field.
Don’t know how all these posts keep popping up ? Sorry
Half of Colorado doesn't have a Mule deer "migration". They are year-rounders.
Winter wheat, millet, and sorghum are all muley magnets in my area. But one thing I've noticed in the past 10 years is that they aren't attracted to SOME winter wheat fields, and will hike 1/2 mile across a perfectly fine green wheat field to reach a stubble field with volunteer wheat in the low areas.
This is not a one-time thing, but a regular habit in the area I hunt. I'm not sure if it has something to do with the hybrid planted, something Monsanto has engineered into it, or what. But they much prefer second year volunteer wheat in some places.
Hoping one of the food plot gurus can shed some light. I'm not interested enough to dig into it because I have no control over what or where the ranchers plant, so I adjust my hunting accordingly every year.
In western Nebraska where I hunt and have some land the mule deer are to and from the corn fields mostly. Bedding in the sage hills and feeding in the corn. Nipping the winter wheat here and there.
Ambush wheres your yearly thread
The biggest attraction for mule deer in my area is water! I’ve planted real small plots on my place just to see what they would eat out of curiosity and something to do. I don’t hunt my place every year. They will pass over all of it for the most part if plentiful browse is available. But they will consistently water especially if the next nearest source is a little ways off. Late season I’m sure is a different story. If I had room and means for bigger plots maybe it would be different also??
Our northern Canada mule deer like Canola and it can stay green and flowered into cold weather. If left standing the stalks can resist snow well too.
