Midwest Forbes

[Questionablemorel]

Howdy folks.

I'm hoping to get some feedback to see if anyone is attempting habitat restoration with native plants for whitetailed deer? If so, have you noticed any plants specifically eaten by WTD? Thanks in advance!

 

[bac078]

I have planted 40 acres of forbes and wsg combined. I cannot say I have seen them choose to browse on a particular plant. Im in MO, so ymmv on what they target. But I will say the does def bedded hard in this area to escape the rut pressure from younger bucks. Forbes and wsg is more about habitat and not foodplot type success.

My fields have been beneficial to quail, turkey nesting, and WT.

But Im also in farm country, so the deer have crop browse that pulls pressure from forbes.

 

[Leaf Litter]

Howdy folks.

I'm hoping to get some feedback to see if anyone is attempting habitat restoration with native plants for whitetailed deer? If so, have you noticed any plants specifically eaten by WTD? Thanks in advance!

Whitetails like to eat corn and soybeans in the midwest. Focusing on restoring habitat/cover will be your best bang for the buck, the food portion is already taken care of by modern agriculture.

Food plots (brassicas, sorghum, etc) for winter are a great option if you're talking calories, but I don't think that was the original intent of your question.

 

[Macintosh]

Yes, tons of people use natives for deer, even in ag areas. "the midwest" is a huge area so particulars might vary a ton, but 100% its a thing people do either in lieu of ag and food plots, or to augment or provide something missing seasonally or to augment security cover, etc. Among other things it can provide year-round food wheras ag is only seasonal, plus it can enhance bedding and staging areas to have stuff to nibble on before heading to a major destination. It can also be really beneficial for other critters aside from just deer. I'm not near as up on growing deer as some folks, but I would bet money your state wildlife agency could steer you in the right direction, or there are a zillion podcasts on exactly that topic.

A little google fu should get you well on your way. one example:

https://deerassociation.com/natural-deer-forage/

 

[bac078]

Oh for sure reach out to your local USDA and FSA (Farm Services) branch. LOTS of programs and cost share to help with conservation practices.

If you are planting Forbes, make sure you're putting enough warm season grasses in there with it. The one thing with Forbes, such as wildflowers and different legumes, is they need fire every few years to help them out and keep thatch down and keep cool season grasses from taking over again. The woody stalks that are left behind in the winter do not burn well without grasses to carry the fire. The practice of prescribed fire goes back thousands of years to help with Forbes and wildflowers. I wouldn't get set on a particular wildflower or forb as diversity is King in nature.

Diversity also makes for a long season of availability. Some flowers are early, some are mid season, some are late season bloomers. In MO we have a diversity so that blooms start in March and the fields always have something into October. That holds insects and lots of seeds for turkeys and quail and browse for deer. But again, the deer on my place use it for night bedding and browse, only does use it in daylight for cover against younger bucks.

All that said, I can give you a list of flowers that I have definitely never seen browse on. But I would definitely make sure to have these in any mix you plant for the other animals that eat the seeds or insect that they bring

Those would be Rattlesnake Master, Purple Coneflower, prairie blazing star, wild bergamot (bee balm).

I have seen a lot of browse on all the milkweeds except for common milkweed. All versions of coreopsis and Black eyed susans and false sunflowers before bloom.