planting Mushrooms for deer
 

I was telling an old college pal (a science professor at Tennessee State) that I have been managing a food plot on my land for three years. We discussed the different plants etc. that I use and told him I see a difference in the deer’s body size but not so much the antlers. When he heard my concern he instantly wondered why I don’t get mushroom spores and enter them in the areas in my woods were fallen oaks may lay, he insisted I will see a big antler size difference by next year.

I looked online and see many varieties of mushrooms are high in fiber and protein, and provide vitamins such as thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), biotin (B7), cobalamins (B12) and ascorbic acid (C), as well as minerals, including iron, selenium, potassium and phosphorus

I have to be honest and say I have cooked plenty of venison with mushrooms but I have never heard of planting mushrooms to manage deer to get bigger antlers……..have ant of you heard this

RE: planting Mushrooms for deer
 

I can't say I have seen them eating them but like you say they are high in protein so it would have to help the overall health of the deer. They sure love turnips here. Beans corn, and turnips really work well.

RE: planting Mushrooms for deer
 

I have heard of them tearing up some morels. Those only come up in the spring around here. If nothing else, all the mushrooms you can eat.:D

RE: planting Mushrooms for deer
 

lol ducsauce, so true. If the deer don't eat them, it's not bad at all, you can!

RE: planting Mushrooms for deer
 

+1 on the morel. Man I love em! :D

RE: planting Mushrooms for deer
 

Give em some "magic mushrooms" and you can hunt them Jimmy Houston style! :D:D

RE: planting Mushrooms for deer
 

Try planting some sugar beets, seperate fromyourmain food plot. They arent cheap but they have become real popular in the Minn, Wis, Iowa, and Mich, areas. You can also try Swiss Chard to put in with the food plot as well. Sugar beets and swiss chard must planted at the right time of the year and may take a little to get going. If you can try organically the first year on a small patch and then use fertilizer on another patch and see what patch grows the best in your area and which one attracts the deer and gives them healthier antler growth. Warning sugar beets may attract bears. Plant Swiss Chard and Sugar Beetsin open fields where there is plenty of sunshine and moisture. Plant both in late April-Mid May. Good luck.