do deer like tall grass or mowed grass better?
07-02-2008, 05:09 PM
#2
Typical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: New Hartford, NY
Posts: 919
RE: do deer like tall grass or mowed grass better?
well mowing it will probably make for better food, but leaving it high will make for better cover. So there is a bit of a trade off, a little of both wouldn't hurt
07-02-2008, 06:59 PM
#3
Typical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location:
Posts: 819
RE: do deer like tall grass or mowed grass better?
Actually deer don't eat eat "grass" very often. When you see a whitetail in a field it is usually browsing on forbs, growing up between the grass shoots, which are native herbaceous tender or soft perennials. Most grasses, unless just starting to grow have a very high lignin (fiber) content and offer very low protein contents.
Often when you do see deer eating grass it is actually a wheat or oat that looks a lot like grass.
As the grass maturesand gets taller it will become very fibrous. if you take a clump of taller mature grass try to rip it. You will see how tough it is. Look at it closely and you will see the fibers sticking out where you tore it. Then take tender new shoots from a newly seeded lawn. It tears very easy and doesn't show those tell tale fibrous strands. deer need about 16% protein in their diets. Corn provides 6%. Grass provides about 2% crude protein. These animals are intelligent or conditioned enough to know what is good for them. They will walk past a mile of red oaks to get to some white oaks. They won't waste their time on most of your common lawn grasses.
Next time you see one feeding, mark the location and walk out there and see what has been nipped off or torn from browsing. I'll bet you that you will find forbs growing up between the garss nipped right off.
Often when you do see deer eating grass it is actually a wheat or oat that looks a lot like grass.
As the grass maturesand gets taller it will become very fibrous. if you take a clump of taller mature grass try to rip it. You will see how tough it is. Look at it closely and you will see the fibers sticking out where you tore it. Then take tender new shoots from a newly seeded lawn. It tears very easy and doesn't show those tell tale fibrous strands. deer need about 16% protein in their diets. Corn provides 6%. Grass provides about 2% crude protein. These animals are intelligent or conditioned enough to know what is good for them. They will walk past a mile of red oaks to get to some white oaks. They won't waste their time on most of your common lawn grasses.
Next time you see one feeding, mark the location and walk out there and see what has been nipped off or torn from browsing. I'll bet you that you will find forbs growing up between the garss nipped right off.
07-02-2008, 09:05 PM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Southeast Missouri
Posts: 2,178
RE: do deer like tall grass or mowed grass better?
If you mow a big open field leave a strip or corner for the deer to be able to cross and you've created your own funnel for the deer.I have seen many deer crossing in the tall grass while avoiding an open field so they could be in the cover.If they do cross an open field they won't hang around very long because they are exposed!I have also seen deer check out a new field that has been plowed and disc-ed up,they are checking what new plants are there to browse on!
07-03-2008, 07:43 AM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Fulton county IL USA
Posts: 4,271
RE: do deer like tall grass or mowed grass better?
The millions of acres of CRP grass scattered throughout the Midwest would suggest that you would be far better off to NOT mow it. the higher gass offers security and protection from predator, both man and critters. Many sources also strongly suggest that IF you do mow, mow after Aug 1st to avoid killing fawns, young turkeys, etc. At the very least you'll make it easier for predators to find and hunt them. Any property will be far more productive without the mowing. Good luck and good huntin'
07-03-2008, 07:55 AM
#7
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: On an Island in Vermont
Posts: 22,589
RE: do deer like tall grass or mowed grass better?
Keep it high for security and mow a section in back of the high grass. They will eat the growing tender forbs which will come up when the sun gets to it.
07-03-2008, 08:27 AM
#8
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Millville, Ohio
Posts: 2,463
RE: do deer like tall grass or mowed grass better?
allright i will let the grass grow tall and everything. thanks
one more question...................i thought the deer traveled on the pth of least resistence? wouldnt that make deer more apt to travel in cut grrass?
one more question...................i thought the deer traveled on the pth of least resistence? wouldnt that make deer more apt to travel in cut grrass?
07-03-2008, 08:49 AM
#9
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Illinois
Posts: 2,828
RE: do deer like tall grass or mowed grass better?
ORIGINAL: mossbergman11
allright i will let the grass grow tall and everything. thanks
one more question...................i thought the deer traveled on the pth of least resistence? wouldnt that make deer more apt to travel in cut grrass?
allright i will let the grass grow tall and everything. thanks
one more question...................i thought the deer traveled on the pth of least resistence? wouldnt that make deer more apt to travel in cut grrass?
I think they do moat of the time until they are shot at. Leave it tall but mow some strips through it for them to travel....like right past your stand.
