mossbergman11/OH

i have a field where i have a stand now and this summer and spring i frequently cut it with our bushhog. there is a lot of cover in the middle of field made of honeysuckle, trees etc, and a lot of woods around the field. this year i have seen a lot of deer within 40 yards of me from my blind with the grass CUT. next year should i cut the grass or let it grow real tall?

if you want pictures i can get some just let me know

wahoohunter

It's somewhat of a 'Catch-22' when it comes to situations like this. Cutting the grass can generate fresh, green growth which is highly attractive to deer. However, letting it grow provides ample cover which is very, very crucial in holding deer in that area. You really can't go wrong either way

mossbergman11/OH

i think they have enough cover becasue i have seen a lot of deer there. im going to have foodlplots on either side of this field. i was thinking this would become like a haven for deer to be in kind of. will it hurt anything TO NOT CUT the grass or TO CUT the grass?

Remnard

Well if you let it get tall enough for the fawns to hide in, you need to be careful you don't run them over with the brush hog. They will not move until momma comes to get them, even if your'e on top of them with the mower. Deer aren't big grass eaters anyway. Typically when seen in a field they are eating the herbaceous forbs (weeds) that are popping up in between the grasses. Most grasses, except when very young, have a high lignin (fiber)content, and aren't that nutritious or palatable for whitetails. You would be best served to keep the grass cut so the clover can thrive. I would try and eliminate as much of the grass as possible so the clovers don't have to compete with it for light and nutrients.

caza

cut some leave some, if you can cut hay off some it removes a lot grass so forbes and clovers can come up. also be careful not to let too much dead grass build up itcould become a fire hazard

crew

how big is the field? i would cut strips or run a plow in strips just enough to break up the soil. it provides edge which enhances plant diversity. if the field is big enough and you want just to cut the thing leave at least a 30 feet space around the field of uncut grass"known as a field border" this also provides cover as well as edge.

North Texan

Tall grass is the preferred fawning habitat for deer. They like to fawn in tall grass, and they like to fawn a comfortable distance away from the edge. If you leave only the edge, they probably will not fawn there.

Unless food is a limiting resource, I would probably leave the grass alone, especially if you are going to do a food plot, anyway. I've seen and accidentally run over no telling how many fawns because neighboring landowners left no tall grass, so the deer fawned out in the wheat fields. And unfortunately for the deer, wheat harvest hits at the same time as fawning season.

mossbergman11/OH

the field is pretty small, i can take pictures
if i let the field grow will i see more deer this upcoming season, or less deer?

farm hunter

Evan - Sometimes you ask questions that no one can answer -
Maybe you'll see more -maybe not - we don't know -
- if you were happy with the numbers you saw last year (not cut) - why change?

FH

mossbergman11/OH

actually the grass WAS cut this year.
FH thanks for letting me know about my questions, now that i read that it doesnt make any sense. i will work on my questioning skills
i think i might cut a little less this year and see what happens.