Planting Warm-Season Forages
for White-Tailed Deer

The white-tailed deer is the most popular big game animal in the country. It is also one of the most plentiful, with more than 30 million in the U.S. Annual harvests in North America increased from 2 million deer in 1978 to more than 5.3 million in 1994. Certain regions (including the Southeast) are facing overpopulation problems.

Overpopulation damages forest regeneration and agricultural crops and increases deer-vehicle collisions and disease. Annual U. S. damage may be as high as $1 billion or more.

Overpopulation creates unhealthy deer herds because of inadequate food supplies and can reduce health and abundance of native plant communities. Plant communities, which provide staple deer browse foods like vines, forbs, woody plant leaves, and twigs, decline over time from overbrowsing.

Deer herd health, including fawn production, body weight, and antler development, depends on good nutrition, age, and genetics. Nutritional requirements, including adequate protein and mineral levels, must be met through adequate habitat management. Habitat management involves proper manipulation of commercial forestland and agricultural crops. Management of native vegetative species, from forbs (weeds) to mature trees, impacts habitat quality more than any food planting or supplemental effort.

As an example, timber clearcuts, if planned, harvested, and reforested properly, can provide diverse habitat edges, excellent escape cover, and large quantities of nutrient-rich forage/foods as they grow back into young forests. Small, irregularly-shaped harvest cuts with streamside management zones (strips of timber left along drains) provide excellent habitat if these areas are part of a mix of habitat types. Depending on initial tree spacing and site quality, areas that are replanted to pine trees may provide good forage production for 3 to 7 years, and even longer for hardwood regeneration areas. Forage production eventually declines as the amount of sunlight reaching the forest floor declines. Later in the forest cycle, with proper fertilization, pruning, thinning, and other timber stand treatments, these areas can again provide excellent habitat.

While native vegetation management has a much greater potential to increase total deer forage production than food plantings, plantings may be important seasonally to meet specific nutritional needs. The two most critical nutritional times annually for white-tailed deer are late summer,when deer population levels are high and native food quality is low, and late winter, when forage quality and quantity is low and mast (fruit) from oaks and other trees is scarce.

Research has indicated that if at least 1 percent of an area is planted to year-round cool- and warm-season forages, the plots can positively affect the nutritional plane and quality of whitetails. Cool-season forages can aid hunter harvest and improve deer condition, but the benefits of warm-season forage management are often overlooked. Planting summer forages may be as important as planting cool-season forages, since antler growth, fawn production, and initial rearing take place then. Therefore, both bucks and does face special nutritional demands. Seasonal comparisons indicate deer eat the most food in late summer. We know that deer use of warm-season plantings declines from highest in March to lowest in early June. Use increases in late June, peaks in August, then declines slowly through September.

Warm-season food plot planning requires careful thought and on-the-ground evaluation. Existing openings like pipeline and transmission line rights-of-way, abandoned secondary roads, and firelines can provide economical locations for food plots. Carefully plan and consider equipment needs and access points, soil quality, fertilization or liming requirements, size and distribution of plots, seedbed preparation, and choice of planting materials. Landowners should approve planting locations. Designate enough planting sites 1/2 to 3 acres in size to plant 1 to 2 percent of the managed area. Make plots long and narrow, but do not exclude sunlight from plots in forested areas. Evenly distribute warm- and cool-season plantings by dividing plots and planting half to each type, or at least distribute both food types evenly across the area.

The abundance and condition of wildlife are related directly to soil fertility. Soil fertility may vary widely on a given area, with higher fertility generally being found near drainages and in low areas. These are locations which, if available for planting, will produce the best warm-season forage plots, since they are both fertile and generally hold moisture better during the summer months. Initially, conduct a soil test for each new food plot location. Your Extension Service office can provide soil test kits and soil analysis. Soil test results will be tailored to give the fertilization and lime requirements for each planting material specified for use. Proper fertilization will dramatically increase forage produce and is critical to deer use. Liming, if recommended, will bring the pH up and dramatically increase the efficiency of fertilizer and forage production. To be effective at the time of seed germination, lime generally requires application 3 months before seed planting. Legume seeds must be treated with the proper inoculant at the time of planting and will produce their own nitrogen.

Plant and manage forage with a farm tractor and 5-foot wide implements including a disk, broadcast seeder/fertilizer distributer, and mower. A harrow, 2-row planter, and a hand and/or electric seeder are also useful. Plots should be limed, disked, and allowed to settle before planting. Broadcast seeding increases seeding rate over similar drilled crops. Most seeds should be lightly covered with a harrow or by dragging a heavy timber, log chain, or piece of chain-link fence over the plot. Frost planting, or overseeding crops such as red or arrowleaf clover, birdsfoot trefoil, or winter hardy forage oats over closely mowed or grazed vegetation in late winter can be effective and inexpensive. Frozen ground allows seeds to contact and germinate in mineral soil.

Choices for warm-season deer plantings are limited compared to the many cool-season favorites. However, several meet criteria of spring-summer production, resistance to overbrowsing, high protein levels, and digestibility to deer. The best choices for the Southeast include Alyceclover, cowpeas, jointvetch, Lab Lab, and soybeans. Alyceclover is a legume that produces forage through the early fall. It produces abundant forage and withstands browsing pressure better than most of the other choices. Plant it with cowpeas, another favorite warm-season annual legume, to help prevent overbrowsing of the peas. Cowpea varieties such as Catjang, Iron-clay, Tory, and Wilcox have a wide soil tolerance and grow well with a pH as low as 5.5.

Large plots tend to withstand deer pressure best. The same is true of soybeans, a favorite annual legume for deer plots. Soybeans may be 40 percent protein, and deer readily use both the green leaves and beans. Unfortunately, small plots and high deer densities may leave a field of "stems" after deer find them, and thus they are useful for only a little while. Corn, another favorite, is planted as a general crop for deer, doves, turkeys, and other animals. While not accurate to call it a summer forage, the grain matures in around 90 days, making it available mid-to-late summer. It is more important as a food resource during fall and winter, and while low in protein, it provides a good source of carbohydrates and energy. Thus, it is an important food to develop energy reserves in the fall deer herd.

Plant peas with corn at the final cultivation and fertilization to help control weeds and add much needed nitrogen. Jointvetch is a fern-like appearing plant that is adapted to moist soils. It may reseed if disked the following spring, and since it is a legume, it does not require nitrogen fertilizer. Lab Lab, a relative newcomer to the deer forage scene, is planted in the spring as are the others we have discussed. Lab Lab differs in that it is very drought tolerant and is used widely in arid climates.

Another forage to plant is Forage Brassica (rape). There are several varieties of these leafy plants. They are highly attractive to deer, average 30% or more protein, and may be available commercially in blends with Chicory and Plantain.

It can be important to document deer use of summer plots. To do this, exclosures of 3 inch wire formed into a tube 2 to 3 feet in diameter and 6 feet high can be staked to the ground on selected food plots to estimate deer use. Some forages, such as Alyce clover, hold up better to deer browsing pressure than others. Plant soybeans or peas with these types of forages to ensure adequate stands, particularly if 2 acres or smaller.

Following are recommendations for some of the common warm-season forages. Ladino clover, although it is a coolseason forage and normally planted in the fall, is included because it produces abundant forage through the summer months and, in some years, may provide a near year-round forage resource. In contrast to most cool season forages, summer forages may need herbicides to control competition.

Alyceclover

Description: A warm-season legume that provides forage in the summer and early fall. Especially important to white-tailed deer as one of the few warm season forages that hold up well to browsing.

Soil Adaptation: Most moderate to well-drained soils, including bottomland sites.

Fertilization: Apply according to soil test or apply 200 lbs./acre of 1-14-14 after planting is established.

Lime Requirements: Apply according to soil test or apply amounts necessary to bring pH to 6.5-7.0.

Planting Dates: May 1 - June 15

Planting Rate: Inoculate seed. Broadcast 15-20 lbs./acre or drill 16 lbs./acre

Soil Preparation: Disk and plant in a firm seedbed.

Companion Plants: Plant with forage cowpeas and/or jointvetch. Reduce seeding rate to 10 lb./acre when planting combinations.

Ladino Clover

Description: A cool-season annual legume. A very popular clover for providing deer forage, and foliage and insects for quail and turkey.

Varieties: Osceola, Tillman, Regal, Louisiana S-1, and California

Soil Adaptation: Fertile, bottomland, moist soils.

Fertilization: Soil tests are recommended or use 300 lbs./acre of 0-20-20.

Lime Requirements: Apply according to soil test or use amounts necessary to maintain a soil pH of 6.5.

Planting Dates: September 1 - November 15.

Planting Rate: Requires white clover inoculant. Drill 3 lbs./acre at 1/4 inch or broadcast 4 lbs./acre and cover 1/2 inch.

Soil Preparation: Plant in a firm seedbed. In wet areas, broadcast and lightly disk in seed and fertilizer.

Companion Plants: Ryegrass, cool-season, annual small grains, and vetch. Reduce planting rate to 2-3 lbs./acre broadcast when planting combinations.

Management: Re-seeding can often be enhanced by fall disking or mowing and fertilizing at the rate of 40 lbs./acre of 0-20-20.

Cowpeas

Description: A warm-season annual legume. Browsed by deer and rarely eaten by doves, but heavily used by turkeys and quail.

Varieties: Varieties are Thorsby Cream, Tory, Wilcox, Iron Clay, and Catjang.

Soil Adaptation: Well-drained soils, from sandy loams to heavy clay soils.

Fertilization: A soil test is recommended, or use amount required to maintain a soil pH of 5.5-7.0

Planting Dates: May 1 - July 1

Planting Rate: Plant 15 lbs./acre in 24-36 inch rows or broadcast 25 lbs./acre and cover 1 inch. Inoculant required.

Soil Preparation: Plant in a firm seedbed.

Companion Plants: Other warm season annual peas, Alyce Clover, and Brown Top Millet. Reduce planting rate to 12-15 lbs./acre broadcast when planting combinations.

Soybeans

Description: A warm-season annual legume. Provides food and cover for rabbits, turkeys, quail, doves, and ducks. Browsed heavily by deer in early stages of growth.

Varieties: There are hundreds of varieties; re-seeding varieties such as Bobwhite and Quailhaven have been researched at the Natural Resources Conservation Service Plant Materials Center in Coffeeville, Mississippi. Select "forage" type varieties for best performance.

Soil Adaptation: Well drained, medium-textured soils such as sandy loams and clay loams.

Fertilization: A soil test is recommended or use 300 lbs./acre of 0-20-20.

Lime Requirements: Apply according to soil test or use amounts required to maintain a soil pH of 5.8-7.0.

Planting Dates: May 1 - June 1

Planting Rate: Plant 30 lbs./acre in 24-36 inch rows or drill 30 lbs./acre at 10 inch row spacing or broadcast 50 lbs./acre and cover 1/2 inch; inoculant required.

Soil Preparation: Plant in a well disked, firm seedbed.

Companion Plants: Corn. Reduce planting rate to 30-35 lbs./acre broadcast when planting combinations.

Management: If planted for waterfowl, remember that non-reseeding variety seeds will spoil in 30 days after flooding. Also, waterfowl do not utilize the protein in soybeans very efficiently, even though they readily consume them. Plant large plots in areas with high deer densities, or plots will be overbrowsed quickly.

Jointvetch (Deer Vetch)

Description: A warm-season annual, re-seeding legume. Provides excellent forage for deer and succulent foliage and seeds for dove, quail, and turkeys. Will grow on wet sites and can be flooded 18-24 inches for ducks.

Soil Adaptation: Moist and wet, light-textured soils. Do not plant in sandy soils.

Fertilization: A soil test is recommended or use 300 lbs./acre of 0-10-20.

Lime Requirements: Apply according to soil test or apply amounts necessary to keep a soil pH of 5.5-6.5.

Planting Rate: Broadcast 8-10 lbs./acre and cover 1/2 inch; inoculation required.

Soil Preparation: Plant in a well disked, firm seedbed.

Companion Plants: Warm-season perennial grasses.

Management: Re-seeding can be enhanced by spring disking; reapply 200 lbs./acre of 0-10-20. Not very competitive – may require preplanting herbicide application.

Mississippi State University Extension Service

By Dean Stewart, , Extension Associate, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries

Mississippi State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, or veteran status.

Publication 2276

Extension Service of Mississippi State University, cooperating with U.S. Department of Agriculture. Published in furtherance of Acts of Congress, May 8 and June 30, 1914. RONALD A. BROWN, Director (3M-9-00)

Management Practices for High Quality Habitat

This guide for improving your land gives techniques for each month of the year that can help the area for many species, from deer to ducks to turkeys.

By Lindsay Thomas Jr., Georgia Outdoor News

Note: These articles were written in 1997, so the information may be dated.

October: Prime Time for Food Plots of Annual Grasses

If you are thinking it's too late to plan or plant any new wildlife crops this year, think again. October is the optimum time to put in annual grasses like rye, wheat and oats or ryegrass, especially if you have access to a seed drill. You may already have all of your food plots committed to other crops like clover, sorghum or corn right now, but that doesn't matter as long as you have strips, edges, roads or other small areas to fill in with small grains. You can even plant these forage crops into November or as late as December.

So all of your food plots are occupied: be creative. Take a drive around your property and scout some potential places to fill in with annual grasses. You may already know some off the top of your head, but they include firebreaks that were put in with disk harrows. If you can fit a small tractor and harrows on the firebreak, or tow a set of mini-disks behind a 4-wheeler, then you can plant firebreaks in grasses and grains.

How about woods roads and other access roads? Do they have wide shoulders that you could plant on? If not, you can always harrow the road itself and plant it. The grasses will come up on the edges of the road and in between the tire ruts.

Power or gas line right-of-ways are excellent, too. Also, what about the border strip between agricultural fields, which are likely to be lying fallow or containing mowed corn remnants right now, and the woods? There is probably room to plant a one-row strip of seed. Is there a stand of pine seedlings on your property? Plant between the rows if the rows are wide enough.

Another approach is identify leftover agriculture crops or food plots that are playing out and overseed the remnants with new forage. For example, if you had a food plot planted in corn or sorghum this summer the crops have probably fulfilled their use already and the dirt could be better used for the fall and winter. Come back in and plant rye in the same field. If you make use of the No-Till Drill Program, you can hire a no-till seed drill operator to drill in the rye without turning under the corn or other crop leftovers (see the phone number listed at the end of the article).

The point is that you will probably find plenty of nooks, corners, strips, edges, old crops and small clearings that you can fill in with rye, wheat, oats or ryegrass. The more you can plant, the better next winter. If you can identify several locations on your property that will do for "fill-in" food plots, don't plant them all at once. Scatter the plantings between now and the end of December so that throughout the winter and early spring those forage crops will be peaking in usefulness one after another, spreading the benefit over a longer period.

Have you ever planted rye, wheat or oats on your property? Maybe you've planted one or two but not all three. I would recommend that unless you have experimented with all of the small grains, start by planting a test crop to find out which grass does best on your land.

Last fall in Wayne County, we planted two food plots in two halves each: rye on one side, oats on the other, to see how oats compared. We have always done well with rye on this particular land, but had never tried oats. The result: the rye was preferred over the oats. Though the plots were well fertilized and limed ahead of time with recommendations based on both crops, the deer stepped over the oats to get to the rye, even as the seasons changed.

Don't take this as an endorsement of rye over oats: on your land the preference could very well be reversed. Varying soil types, varying habitat offerings, and varying deer preferences mean that this kind of test should be conducted on every piece of land where wildlife are being managed for.

As far as known characteristics that can help you select which grasses to plant, oats will do best if you plant them now, in October. They are not as cold-resistant as the other crops and could suffer if caught at an early stage in an early or strong freeze. Broadcast or drill oats at a rate of 100-120 lbs./acre, or cut this in half if you mix oats with another grain.

Ryegrass, in the Marshall or tetraploid varieties, has the advantage that it is a reseeding annual and will come back in the spring even if you don't disk it. Plant it at a lighter rate, 20-40 lbs./acre.

Wrens Abruzzi rye and Stacy wheat can be mixed in a 50/50 planting that is recommended by the Department of Natural Resources. If you mix, put in 60 lbs./acre of each grain, or if you plant separately spread or drill each at 100-140 lbs./acre. As with most crops, if you are planting with a seed drill, you can go with the lightest recommended seeding rate due to the efficiency and accurate depth of the drill. These factors also mean that a later planting, like November or December, will be more likely to come off well if planted with a seed drill.

No matter which annual grass you choose as a forage crop, a soil test is a good bet. At least get some lime on the dirt you plan to use to raise the pH into the neighborhood of 6. Lime will increase the production of all of these grasses. If a soil test is not possible, spread on 800 lbs./acre of 10-10-10 and 150 lbs./acre of ammonium nitrate at planting.