Strutter

I have what is undoubtedly the pertiest 1 1/2 acres of oates you have ever seen growing on my farm right now. Problem is, the deer seem to hate it so much they don't even want to walk through it much less eat it. It is about 8 inches high right now, very green and still growing. Do you think they will eat it later or did I plant the wrong kind? It was 2 bushel of seed oats from the local farm store. It had that chemical on it to keep bugs from eating the seed also. Could this be the reason the deer don't like it? The turkeys are in it a lot. What do you think?

Thanks,
Strutter

soarkrebel

I planted a little more than a acre . the deer are eating them but just the tips it seems.tracks everywhere in them. i will be checking them again this weekend to see.
My only reason might be that there are alot of acorns to eat for them.

SOUTH ARKANSAS REBEL

Dan O.

The chemical that the seed is treated with stays in the soil, so that isn't the problem. You've got turkeys feeding on them so I agree with soarkrebel that there's probably some other food source around that they're using right now. Many people recommend that you fence in a small area so you get a true indication of how much grazing pressure the crop is taking.

Dan O.

timbercruiser

There may be more natural browse and acorns available that the deer prefer at this time. I would expect they will soon start eating in the oats.

Sven

The oats in a couple of my plots look like groomed lawns. There are deer tracks everywhere in them. I would have to agree that they have found a more desirable food source. Don't be surprised if they hit it hard later on when everything else is brown and dead.

---
Live: Oregon, IL
Hunt: Knox County, IL

farm hunter

Location might be the key as well. If the deer do not feel secure feeding on the plot, they just will not, regardless of how appetizing it may seem. Still, there must be good forage nearby, or you'd likely see some evidence of deer feeding.