Southeastern Summer Plots

[Doc Holliday]

Any other folks in the Southeastern US here who do year round plots for whitetails?

I have great success with winter plots in the form of oats, topdressed with crimson clover, but have never had much luck in the summer. Either the deer hammer it as soon as it comes up, or the heat kills it. Plots right now total about 5 acres with largest being 2 acres.

Soil pH is 6.8

 

[Billy Goat]

Tried buckwheat?

 

[N2TRKYS]

Iron clay peas

I have small areas that I can plant and high deer density. Iron clay peas was the only thing I found that could half way keep up with the browsing. I have since changed my management philosophy and don’t do summer plots. I plant for year around food sources.

This has allowed be to stop discing plots, as well.

 

[KenLee]

Any other folks in the Southeastern US here who do year round plots for whitetails?

I have great success with winter plots in the form of oats, topdressed with crimson clover, but have never had much luck in the summer. Either the deer hammer it as soon as it comes up, or the heat kills it. Plots right now total about 5 acres with largest being 2 acres.

Soil pH is 6.8

Peredovik Sunflowers IF you put a fence around them til they get up 2 ft high. Deer love them even more than okra.

 

[Doc Holliday]

I have since changed my management philosophy and don’t do summer plots. I plant for year around food sources.

This has allowed be to stop discing plots, as well.

Interesting. Would you mind elaborating on your approach?

Here is what I am working with. Red are property lines. Green are existing food plots that are established and easy to plant. Yellow are clearcuts from July 2021. We just burned and will be replanting loblolly in the next month or so, but I was thinking of creating some foodplots in the back corners of each. They are surrounded by old growth oak/maple/hickory/beech climax, except for the southern portion which is 6 yr old loblolly.

Happy to hear any recommendations you may have

 

[N2TRKYS]

Interesting. Would you mind elaborating on your approach?

Here is what I am working with. Red are property lines. Green are existing food plots that are established and easy to plant. Yellow are clearcuts from July 2021. We just burned and will be replanting loblolly in the next month or so, but I was thinking of creating some foodplots in the back corners of each. They are surrounded by old growth oak/maple/hickory/beech climax, except for the southern portion which is 6 yr old loblolly.

Happy to hear any recommendations you may have

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[Vern400]

Peredocik Sunflowers IF you put a fence around them til they get up 2 ft high. Deer love them even more than okra.

I agree deer love black oil sunflowers. They don't burn up easily.

 

[Vern400]

Sorghum works well. Deer don't hurt it so bad then it's young but when it heads out they devour it. Plant acre or more. Full sun.

 

[FLATHEAD]

soybeans

 

[Long Cut]

Soybeans will get destroyed unless you can throw down a 10+ acre field of them.
Deer Vetch (American Jointvetch) is another great option that’s resilient to browse pressure and grow into October with high Protein content

IMO a blend with buckwheat, sunflowers, sorghum, lablab, soybeans and deer vetch will get you what you want.

It will be expensive. You could go with Power Plant by Whitetail Insitutue they have a very similar blend that works well.

I hope this helps

 

[Alchemy]

WGF Milo/cowpeas mix . Fertilize according. weed control will be tough, if that's a concern go with one or the other to able to hit the broadleaf or the grass with the other, just have to pick your poisin