BEST Fall Food Plot Blends For Whitetails
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- Опубліковано 5 лют 2025
- Dr. Craig Harper walks us through his recommendations of the best fall food plot blends for deer! Annual food plots are a great addition to any landowners food plot strategy for holding and attracting deer, and can increase hunting opportunities in the fall. Whether you live in the deep south or way up north, these recommendations are sure to help you decide on the right fall food plot strategy for your property!
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Cereal rye is a very underutilized forage. Main reason is seed companies don’t want people simply buying rye and ignoring more expensive forages. Rye is the only true throw and grow. I’m not saying it’s the only thing you should plant but it should be your work horse forage, especially on small parcels. It is truly the Everyman seed for people with limited space and equipment. This demographic encompasses the majority of hunters and food plotters. WR grain germinates down near freezing and grows anywhere. It is nearly immune to browse pressure and is always the last thing green in winter and first thing in spring. Those are the two most critical times for deer survival. Timing is everything planting rye. Labor Day is when to start layering in rye in most areas. Deer absolutely love young rye shoots. This works great adjacent your brassica plots to keep deer from over browsing. Also works great to sow into your fall annual candy crops after they get browsed down. After near by AG has been harvested a well timed layered planting of rye can be gold. If you are looking to plant a kill plot in the timber look to WR. Many hunters try to get cute and overthink seed blends for kill plots and end up hunting over bare dirt. Rye never fails you in these situations. Rye will Save your hard earned money and valuable time. Stop letting millionaires hunting fantasy land parcels in fantasy land states sell you products that are unnecessary for the majority of hunters.
Just the kind of info I am looking for. Thank you.
Glad it was helpful!!
I’m a big fan of brassica blends. Deer will eat the greens all fall and dig up the brassica during the winter.
They're a great food plot choice for sure!
Great information, very much appreciated!
Glad it was helpful! Good luck this fall!
What an excellent video! Dr. Harper's stuff is always spot-on.
About the only thing I don't completely agree with is his position on winter rye, especially for anyone trying to grow plots on very sandy or low-pH soils. Also, winter rye develops an extensive root system, much larger than the other grains, that is far superior for anyone attempting to improve their soil while growing food plots. With that said, if your soil is good enough to grow an awnless winter wheat or triticale, (a hybrid of wheat and rye) and you're planning to let it grow and set seed in the spring, those are better than just straight winter rye. If the plan is to rotate back to a warm season planting, like buckwheat, as part of a soil-building program, winter rye is the way to go, since you'll be cutting it before it sets seed anyway. Rye is also cheaper than awnless wheat varieties, usually.
Great feedback! We always appreciate hearing other scenarios and perspectives on things we might not have covered!
This was awesome!
Glad you enjoyed!
I disagree with the avoidance of cereal rye. The organic matter, both above ground as well as below, is one of the best reasons to prescribe its planting. It is also allelopathic, and can reduce weed competition over its growing life. Turkeys will readily eat the heads, as well as dove, and it makes great fawning cover as it matures. Blended with other cereal grains such as wheat and oats, it is an excellent addition for both soil biology and wildlife while not overpowering the plot.
Im in SW Georgia. My deer seem to prefer a brassica/clover mix. I tend to add extra rape seed. Nothing seems to touch wheat.
Thanks for sharing! Its cool to hear and see what deer prefer in different areas of the country! Deer are similar to people in that they have preferences on what they eat, too!
Do you make a custom mix or buy one? I use a mixture of iron clay peas and soybeans that seem to work well but don't last all winter
Civil Sasquatch I’ve been using different Pennington rackmaster varieties past 5 years. Done very well with them.
@@bigmoonoutfitters6180 It depends on the sight typically whether we used a custom blend or a pre mix blend. We have had great luck with the blends from Whitetail Institute. But, not every site lends itself to certain blends. Iron clay peas and soybeans are great summer forages for deer, but, like you mentioned, you aren't going to have food into the winter months typically. Maybe try adding some forage that grows and matures later into the season in your neck of the woods to provide some food later in the season!
I’ve never seen this Earnest movie what is this “Earnest plants a food plot” ? Earnest goes to Jail is my favorite
Plant Chestnut, Persimmon and Swamp White Oak trees. Install Screech Owl nest boxes to eat rodents that host ticks, attract and feed Bobcats, Coyotes and Pit Vipers. Consider planting Triticale rather than Rye.
Nice commentary
I’m with you about rye - thanks
I didn’t think deer liked crimson clover but preferred any white.
Could you plant wheat and clover and if broadleaf weeds come in can u spray it with 24db "butreyrc" I think I read a article where Dr Harper reccomend that before just not sure. I had a forest mulcher come in and the amount of bread leaf pressure is unreal.
Travis you can definitely spray 2,4bd.. since it’s a broadleaf herbicide it won’t harm the wheat and it is safe to spray on clover. Just don’t confuse that with 2,4d. That will toast your clover.
Butreyrc is good for very very small broadleaf. Less than 6 inches.
Most broadleaf weeds are warm season and won't be an issue with dropping soil Temps.
In the spring.. mowing is most effective for broadleaf control
From Dr. Harper "Yes, except you can spray up to1 pint of 2,4-D on white clover and not hurt it. But you cannot spray any 2,4-D on red clover. You can spray 2,4-DB on both white and red clover."
Best of luck this fall!
@@Whitetail_Properties thank you!!!! I seen dr Craig's northern mixes on qdma website. I think the forestry mulcher planted golden rod. I have sprayed 3 times it just keeps coming. I think this might work well
@@travissmith-wz5nc Yes on a new site weed competition is stiff. Once you get something established hopefully your headaches will subside!! Let us know how it turns out!
I am in north central pa, and want the best seed or blend for October-mid November to hunt over. Not concerned with after mid November. What’s your best recommendation for my situation? Just clover? Or add brassicas and winter wheat?
The brassicas would be more of late season food source, especially when the bulbs develop on the turnips and radishes etc. Not to say that the deer wouldn't browse the leaves of the brassicas earlier, but, for October and November forage and attraction a good clover and winter wheat blend should suit you well!
Over seeding Brassica with winter wheat and tritical has worked well in your region
I would like to talk to you. I'm doing a food plot in tn and would like your opinion
Always trust a guy with a broken finger.
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