The Local conservation nursery offers (besides seedlings) a wild flower seed mix. They sell 2-3 lb bags which cover 2000-3000 square feet. I was thinking of adding this to the deer mix when we disc this spring.

Wild flowers should add to the diversity and should provide additional mast to deer and other game.

Any thoughts..... am I off base and just wasting money??

Heck no you are not wasting your time.

It might not do much for the deer - but the flowers can be really nice. I know that my wife and kids are far more interested to go "check the plots" in the summer if there are some flowers to see, some berries to pick, some bird houses to check, etc.

Sometimes - we even see some deer!

As far as I'm concerned - its all part of making it a year round experience - and passing it on.

Good post -

FH

Wildflowers..... great for turkey and other upland game and non-game birds due to insect draw especially as poults. also good cover. Deer will also eat certain species however we have beter success incorporating into separate plot. many wildflowers are considered unwanted weeds under certain conditions and will compete with whatever else you want to grow for moisture and especially sunlight once they provide a canopy. My advice is put them adjacent to a pure food plot so you can enjoy each without them being detrimental to one another..

TOTAL WASTE OF TIME! For all the same reasons Farm Hunter said. You start getting the wife and family going to your food plots the next thing you know they want to help and then that leads to wanting to hunt with you and then you end up spending all sorts of money outfitting them with hunting gear.

I agree with answerguy. The next thing you know you'll be having picnics. Put some poison ivy seeds in with the mix. The deer like it but it'll help keep out intruders.

Dan O.

Aw - come on guys!

Maybe you could say no this face:



But I can't - She goes with me any time she wants! And..... she likes flowers.

FH

Seriously, I thought the diversity of plants would be a legitimate wildlife attractant. I have three large fields maybe I'll mix some of the seed in one of the and see. If I get more turkey and small game in that fiels but less deer, I will report back...... A little scientific study.

Back to serious. I don't think that the wild flowers will add much to a deer food plot, other than make them interesting for people to look at. I want to grow the most nutritious forage that I can; if wildflowers filled that bill then I would grow a pure stand of them.
The diversity I would go for would be corn, soys, clover and brassicas.
One use I could think of would be as something for peas or Lab Lab to grow on. Otherwise they are just stealing nutrients from the preferred foods that the deer want and need.
If you are still determined to plant them I would do as another poster suggested and plant them by themselves. Two thousand square feet is just an area 20' x 100'.

Farm Hunter

Enjoy your time with her, they grow up fast and soon find other activities that don't always include Dad.
(I think they are called boys)

Robertesq1; when you buy the seeds make sure that they aren't the deer resistent type. Some companies sell wildflower seeds that deer will only eat as starvation food. If you want them as a normal food source (deer eat many types) plant ones that are a regular part of the deer diet.

If you don't have time to smell the roses when you're deer hunting and if you're friends and family can't use the property, you're making deer hunting sound too much like work.

Dan O.