Why aren't deer eating food plot?
11-02-2008, 02:15 PM
#1
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: NOVA
Posts: 262
Why aren't deer eating food plot?
My dad and I put in our first food plot this summer back in the woods and planted it with Thro' N Gro' this year. It has come great, about 6-8 inches now but the deer haven't touched it at all. We put a small wire cage up to judge the growth and usage but the entire food plot is just as tall as the caged part. The area we placed the plot in was an open area that deer travelled through in past years. This is one reason why we chose this site.
Any suggestions on why the deer are not eating in this plot? Any info would help.
We did have someone and steal a ladder stand in the bow season that was place about 15 yards off the plot and are wondering if they did something to the food plot to keep the deer from eating it. Could this a cause to why the deer are not coming in? We have looked around the entire area but don't see anything out of the ordinary.
Any suggestions on why the deer are not eating in this plot? Any info would help.
We did have someone and steal a ladder stand in the bow season that was place about 15 yards off the plot and are wondering if they did something to the food plot to keep the deer from eating it. Could this a cause to why the deer are not coming in? We have looked around the entire area but don't see anything out of the ordinary.
11-02-2008, 03:13 PM
#2
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Ponce de Leon Florida USA
Posts: 10,079
RE: Why aren't deer eating food plot?
Around here there are so many acorns available that the deer are feeding on their preferred food source. Same thing happened last year with the abundant acorn crop.
11-03-2008, 05:32 AM
#4
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Comance county, OK
Posts: 11,408
RE: Why aren't deer eating food plot?
Around here there are so many acorns available that the deer are feeding on their preferred food source.
11-03-2008, 07:10 AM
#5
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: W Suffield Ct
Posts: 204
RE: Why aren't deer eating food plot?
Could be something simple like they don't know what it is so they don't eat it.
The first year I planted buckwheat the deer didn't touvh it, then they learned it was good and have hammered every year since.
I planted some oats for the first time this year and as of a coupl weeks ago they hadn't been touched either even though they were eating other stuff in plots.
The first year I planted buckwheat the deer didn't touvh it, then they learned it was good and have hammered every year since.
I planted some oats for the first time this year and as of a coupl weeks ago they hadn't been touched either even though they were eating other stuff in plots.
11-05-2008, 08:18 PM
#6
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: arkansas
Posts: 3,162
RE: Why aren't deer eating food plot?
Deer are not eating hardly anything out of my plots either this year,but the woods are loaded with white oak acorns. Food plot activity slows down in year of heavy mast. Dont worry later this winter they will start hitting them.
11-06-2008, 11:21 AM
#7
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: IL
Posts: 6,575
RE: Why aren't deer eating food plot?
I've read it may take up to 3 years for deer to learn to use a food plot. If it's a new food to them that ehy haven't eatin before....they almost don't know it's food is what i've read. So keep with it.
11-06-2008, 05:09 PM
#8
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: NOVA
Posts: 262
RE: Why aren't deer eating food plot?
Well I am hoping for the best. I understand about the acorns but my dad said he didn't notice a bumper crop of acorns on this property. I thinking it may be a blessing in disguise since I haven't been able to hunt over it yet. I will finally get to hunt over the plot next week so I will keep you informed.
11-12-2008, 04:29 AM
#10
Typical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location:
Posts: 819
RE: Why aren't deer eating food plot?
They'll find it. There must be native foods they are eating right now. They know what is good for them. Give them time, after the native food source gets used upo they'll discover it. When they figure out its even better for them than the native food, they'll hit that first. I had brassicas planted a few years ago and they didn't touch them until late in the season.