The club I'm in doesn't want to plant summer plots because the turkey hunters don't want use to bush hog the fields until after turkey season so every one say there's not enough time to prepare the fields for planting. 95% of are property is pine Plantation i think were hurting ourselves by not planting and I feel that are deer numbers have gone down since we stopped planting what do yall think

I've planted soybeans the first week of July the past two years and they did just fine and deer tore them up. Brother-in-law shot a deer in the beans opening weekend.

And there's a few that says there's plenty of food in the woods for em but is there really anything for deer to eat in pines

Having the best food in the neighborhood sure isn't going to send deer off your property.

Short season soybeans, sunn hemp, and buckwheat will give you a great crop in that time. As long as the weather cooperates, you would still be in great shape and turkeys would love it too.

If your plots are small, you may not notice or get any benefit from the plantings. Why not plant plots that last from fall until mid summer?

This is something you need answered, solved, decided BEFORE dues are collected. Poll the members and majority rules. You want to provide as much nutrition as long as you can before the antlers stop growing.

Which is more important? The deer or the turkey. I know my answer.

Being an avid turkey hunter myself, I see both sides of this issue. One thing to consider is the size of the plots. If it's a large plot, it could be very useful to a nesting hen. If your plots are on the small side, chances of nesting success in them is much less. Think of it this way, would it be easier for a predator to find a nest or poults in a half acre field or a 5 acre field? Small plots are often killing zones for predators just like they are for hunters.

If your turkey hunting members are knowledgeable about this they may not be opposed to planting some of the smaller plots now and the larger plots later. Secondly, you could always call your district biologist and get an educated opinion on the matter and present it to the club for discussion.

He said they don't want to bushog until after turkey season, not nesting season. Those poults aren't going to hatch until well after turkey season.

If it's the turkey hunting they're concerned about, shorter grass in field improves the hunting in my experience. If they're worried about poults you shouldn't cut the fields til late summer.

You'll be fine planting after turkey season, but if the rest of the club says says it isn't enough time, tell the turkey hunters that you'll plant some chufa plots if they let you bushog now.

We used to plant 50% of our fields each summer. It was a ton of work. The last two summers we have only planted one or two out of 15. We are seeing more deer now. I think it's because we are shooting less. In the summer, we run cameras in the fields that are not planted too. We still get lots of pics of deer feeding on the weeds and whatever else grows naturally during that time of the year. I'm going to try something different this year. I am going to fertilizer a few unplanted fields to see if it results in an increase activity.

Hallelujah..... someone finally heard me!!!

"Seeing more deer" because y'all are shooting less or planting less?

I hope y'all are not fertilizing Johnson Grass!

I've heard you SHOULD bushhog your fields that eventually get cut and planted so the hens won't nest there. They won't nest in the short stuff.

What I hope bambam is focused on is fertilizing the soil. If Ca levels are 700 lbs/ac and the soil test says you need 1500 lbs/ac then we fertilize the soil with some lime. If the K levels are sitting at 80 lbs/ac and the soil test says ideal range is 180 lbs/ac…..then we fertilize the soil with some potash. If the P levels are 20 lbs/ac and ideal range is 75 lbs/ac…..then we fertilize the soil with some phosphorus. We often times see it as fertilizing the plant but we’re actually fertilizing/balancing the soil. The plant then takes what it needs from the soil.

Now don’t think I’m advocating for everyone to grow Johnson grass but I’ve got a neighbor that owns thousands of acres and he’s got this one section of really thinned pines that looks to be mostly one big stand of Johnson grass in the understory. I’m talking about probably 50 acres of it. That area is SLAM full of deer. To the point that I can just about guarantee you to see a deer as we ride through if its early in the morning or late in the evening. They seem to love it for bedding. My neighbor has decided to go a different route than to battle trying to get rid of it and it seems to be working out fine for them.

[quote=Antlerfluke]"Seeing more deer" because y'all are shooting less or planting less?

Refer to my previous post.

I put most of my summer crops in around July 4th. The turkey have hatched off and your crop will be better because the weeds will not be as bad as planting in the spring. If you plant chufa in July it still has time to mature and the turkey will be on the acorns instead of eating up you chufa in the fall.

That's bullpucky, I plant iron and clay peas, milo, sunn hemp or whatever in may and june. Plenty of stuff you can plant in july if you're far enough south, sounds like your club just doesn't want to fool with it. More, better food equals more and better deer