Deer eating our Brassica field
09-02-2003, 08:27 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Menomonee Falls/Antigo, WI
Posts: 60
Deer eating our Brassica field
Planted a new food plot with Bio Logic Maximum. The plot is just starting to grow and already the deer are attacking it. I thought they would not eat it until a good frost. Also have bear tracks in the field. Are they eating it? The plants in the cage are 8" -10" tall the rest is about 4" -6" and any plants that were bigger are chewed off.
09-03-2003, 06:54 AM
#2
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Munising MI
Posts: 501
RE: Deer eating our Brassica field
The deer around here begin eating the brassica before it gets to 4" . I simply can' t plant enough. I' ve learned to leave existing clover on at least 1/2 of the field to lower grazing pressure on the new brassica/clover planting(I never plant brassicas without clover), and broadcast rye approximatley 1 month after initial planting to increase productivity of the field, and lower grazing intesity on the brassicas. I' ve found if I plant the rye with the intial planting for 1, it' s too early, and 2, it retards the brassica growth. Planting brassicas in mid to late July, and following up with a rye broadcasting of 100#' s per acre around 4 weeks later seems just about right.
Jeff...U.P. of Michigan
Jeff...U.P. of Michigan
09-05-2003, 06:37 AM
#4
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Munising MI
Posts: 501
RE: Deer eating our Brassica field
LB,
You' re just jeleous you deer won' t readily consume the extremly nutritious, incredible amount of tonnage provided by the brassicas.
A late summer planting of your favorite clover in combination with a brassica mix, is one of the best 4 season plantings available. A clover/oats combo isn' t too shaby either for agricultural areas. Either way you get a great fall draw, and your clover gets good establishment for the following spring without the mess of remaining rye or wheat to deal with....just pure juicy clover.
While clover is my base for early spring/summer/early fall, and a minimum 40% of my fields are in clover at all times, with 70% in the summer, I have to have a great fall draw in place on the plots or the clover falls way to short in competing with all of the bait piles in the area.
Nothing like a combo!
Jeff...U.P. of Michigan
You' re just jeleous you deer won' t readily consume the extremly nutritious, incredible amount of tonnage provided by the brassicas.
A late summer planting of your favorite clover in combination with a brassica mix, is one of the best 4 season plantings available. A clover/oats combo isn' t too shaby either for agricultural areas. Either way you get a great fall draw, and your clover gets good establishment for the following spring without the mess of remaining rye or wheat to deal with....just pure juicy clover.
While clover is my base for early spring/summer/early fall, and a minimum 40% of my fields are in clover at all times, with 70% in the summer, I have to have a great fall draw in place on the plots or the clover falls way to short in competing with all of the bait piles in the area.
Nothing like a combo!
Jeff...U.P. of Michigan
