Cover for deer

bucktail

Well-known member

Equipment
L1500DT, 6' king kutter back blade, boom, dirt scoop ford disk JD212
Jun 13, 2016
1,251
189
63
MN
I've been on my 15 acre property for about a year. I'd like to get some cover going in a couple of areas.
1. Across the back of my property, there's about 3 acres between my lawn and the adjoining property. This is mostly brome grass that only gets about knee high because the soil is sand with thin topsoil. There are trees interspersed. I'd like to do a strip of cover across the back that would connect the 2 patches of woods. I'm thinking about sudax in the short term and sumac in the long term. Part of this adjoining my yard already has sumac in it, so I"d be transplanting it. The adjoining property is a thin strip that appears to have been farmed until recently. It has a corn / bean field on the other side of it depending on the year. The logic is to increase the number of deer that cross between the tree patches on my property.

At some point, I'd like to put down lime on the remainder of that patch and get some clover and or alfalfa growing with the grass. Probably some apple trees as well.

2. There's about a quarter acre clearing in my trees. I planted oats and clover on it last summer. The deer ignored it until they didn't. It was pretty much shot in a couple of days. I'm thinking that it would make a better bedding area. I was also thinking about sudax in the short term, but it has raspberry canes that are chest high, so I was thinking about those as bedding cover. This will probably get some apple trees as well.

Are there other plants that I should be considering?
 

bucktail

Well-known member

Equipment
L1500DT, 6' king kutter back blade, boom, dirt scoop ford disk JD212
Jun 13, 2016
1,251
189
63
MN
I've already watched that video and a number of others from him. Thanks though.
 

Benhameen

Active member

Equipment
2012 Kubota L3800 HST W/FEL and 1963 JD 2010 row crop utility
Jan 27, 2013
691
115
43
Southern IL.
A number of years ago i planted about two acres of a mixture of native grasses. I do not recall the exact mix but it is quite thick and the deer love to bed down in it. The grasses have spread out somewhat from the original size, maybe another acre or so. You’re supposed to burn it off every year but I don’t feel comfort doing it where it’s located, very close to my neighbors property. So I just mow it back at least once a year. Not sure if this answers your question but it did increase deer traffic once it was established as a place for them to bed down.
 

bucktail

Well-known member

Equipment
L1500DT, 6' king kutter back blade, boom, dirt scoop ford disk JD212
Jun 13, 2016
1,251
189
63
MN
Probably some sort of switchgrass. Don't think my soil will support it but I could try a small area.
 

rc51stierhoff

Well-known member

Equipment
B2650, MX6000, Ford 8N, (BX sold)
Sep 13, 2021
2,565
3,091
113
Ohio
Have you consulted your local extension service? Soil and water usually have some idea of soil types in the area and may have suggestions on things to plant based on your goals and what does well in the area. They may also be able to point you to season nursery sales or have their own sales on select stock for the area…as well as knowledge of grants programs available to help fund some of what you might want to do. Check the fine print.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

bucktail

Well-known member

Equipment
L1500DT, 6' king kutter back blade, boom, dirt scoop ford disk JD212
Jun 13, 2016
1,251
189
63
MN
Have you consulted your local extension service? Soil and water usually have some idea of soil types in the area and may have suggestions on things to plant based on your goals and what does well in the area. They may also be able to point you to season nursery sales or have their own sales on select stock for the area…as well as knowledge of grants programs available to help fund some of what you might want to do. Check the fine print.
I haven't checked with the county extension agent. When I was growing up they focused on farming and 4H.
Might be worth asking the local Pheasants Forever as well. The one in my county 4 moves ago was pretty active in habitat development. Not really looking at a grant at this point. Don't want to follow any more regulations than I need to.
 

rc51stierhoff

Well-known member

Equipment
B2650, MX6000, Ford 8N, (BX sold)
Sep 13, 2021
2,565
3,091
113
Ohio
I haven't checked with the county extension agent. When I was growing up they focused on farming and 4H.
Might be worth asking the local Pheasants Forever as well. The one in my county 4 moves ago was pretty active in habitat development. Not really looking at a grant at this point. Don't want to follow any more regulations than I need to.
If you talk to to extension service, EQIP has lots good uses for a landowner if it aligns to your goals…it’s not all bad.
 

skeets

Well-known member

Equipment
BX 2360 /B2601
Oct 2, 2009
14,565
3,323
113
SW Pa
One year we planted buck wheat, the deer seemed to like it and the turkeys didnt think twice about strolling through it either. Apple and pare trees will bring them in too,, but will take maybe 5 to 6 years to really produce much of anything. And then soye beans, also expencive. Plant anything goats and sheep will go after and deer wont be far behind. And yes talk to the extension service, a lot of them can give you good info for food plots and cover
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

Benhameen

Active member

Equipment
2012 Kubota L3800 HST W/FEL and 1963 JD 2010 row crop utility
Jan 27, 2013
691
115
43
Southern IL.
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

BAP

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
2012 Kubota 2920, 60MMM, FEL, BH65 48" Bush Hog, 60"Backblade, B2782B Snowblower
Dec 31, 2012
2,758
873
113
New Hampshire
Add clover to your grass mix. It will reseed itself and last longer than alfalfa. It also adds nitrogen to the soil helping the grass grow better.
 

bucktail

Well-known member

Equipment
L1500DT, 6' king kutter back blade, boom, dirt scoop ford disk JD212
Jun 13, 2016
1,251
189
63
MN
I watched a bunch of deer property videos, mostly from whitetail habitat solutions. Seems like the raspberries and blackberries make good bedding habitat, so I may try that on the old food plot.
I got some ideas for the wetland. Currently, it's mostly reed canary grass, which is good cover in the summer, but lodges in the fall. I have some dogwood that's growing in a part of it. I'll do some cuttings and try to propagate that where ever I can get that to grow, and probably take cuttings from most of the brushy stuff growing in it already and see what I can get to grow.
I haven't contacted an extension agent, but I went on their website, and they do have agents for lawn and garden, so I'll start there. Based on the soil composition and what grows in it, I'm guessing that I need a couple tons of lime per acre. I'll try to get dutch white clover growing in the lawn, and something taller in the open grass land once I have the PH squared away.
I didn't see anything on using sumac as screening cover. It should work once it's established, but it doesn't seem to grow very fast. There's a guy 4 miles south of me that uses sudex, so I may try that for the short term.
 

GreensvilleJay

Well-known member

Equipment
BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
Apr 2, 2019
11,428
4,910
113
Greensville,Ontario,Canada
sumac ???? That's the bane of my neighbour's life !! CANNOT get RID of it,arrrgh.. Used miniex and skidsteer to 'remove' from a 1/4ac section last year....it's STILL coming up,grows like a weed....
OK, it is pretty........
 

bucktail

Well-known member

Equipment
L1500DT, 6' king kutter back blade, boom, dirt scoop ford disk JD212
Jun 13, 2016
1,251
189
63
MN
Ive brush mowed a little bit of it. I'll need to hit it again but it seems to be behaving itself for the most part. The deer browse it pretty hard here.