If you mow winter wheat and cereal rye in the spring to keep it from seeding out, how long can it remain a viable food source in your plots? Is there any value to it this time of year?

My deer aren't eating it, they stopped when it got about 8 inches high. They move onto clover and other forbs this time of year.

Once it bolts its pretty well over for the most part

I let my wheat go to seed for the doves every spring but the deer haven't touched it since about the end of February. I let my cereal rye go to seed as well to help shade the clover i plant with it. Like the above responses, deer have moved on to greener pastures once it bolts.

Once spring green up occurs they are done with it. When the rest of your plots equal what’s in the exclusion cages is a good sign they’ve transitioned to native food.