Start Planning For Next Season… Now
Soybeans
Photo Courtesy of Mossy Oak
You can’t go wrong here, there is very little that you can plant which draws bucks during the summer like soybeans. Beans provide plenty of protein, but the plants must also taste good because they often outdraw nearby clover that is even higher in protein. Soybeans are high in minerals from the soil that they grow in and are then utilized by deer to grow bigger and better. Also, during the summer the deer only eat the leaves. Soybeans are resilient plants that can take a lot of this kind of grazing pressure and still put out pods. And, when the beans in the pods dry down, deer will feed on them heavily during the fall and winter. This way you get a two for the price of one, in a food plot.
As a perfect of a food plot planting, beans have three downsides. First, they won’t yield as many tons of food per acre as alfalfa or even clover. Second, the plants are vulnerable in the early stages. The growing point is above ground and if deer or turkeys snip off the plant at the two-leaf stage it won’t grow back. If at all possible, beans should be planted early enough to get past the deer while the does are fawning. Also, with herbicide ready beans you can plant into residue and let the growing weeds hide your beans until the young plants are well past this critical stage. Then you can simply spray the field and wipe out the competition. Third, beans can be covered up by heavy snow fall, unlike corn.
As for Corn
Corn is attractive to deer, there is no doubt about it, especially so during the winter when high-energy carbohydrates are needed most. Also, you can generally get corn seed that was leftover from the previous year for free from conservation clubs and even from the seed companies directly. Free is good! Bottom line corn is great for getting all wildlife though the harsh winter months. Corn has stood the test of time and is one of the most widely used crops for food plots.
Photo Courtesy of Mossy Oak
Ok how about both…
When I want both in the same plot, I will sometimes mix corn in with BIOMASS by Biologic. This is a blend of peas, soybeans, sunflowers and grain sorghum; I add the corn after I have planted the BioMass by swinging in with the corn planter and planting the corn as if it was only a corn plot. Even if you get a hard winter the corn will still be standing and in many cases work as a snow fence and keep much of the Bio Mass mix available to game.
Next week we are talking Clover Mixes aka Green Browse.
