Soybeans in Small Food Plots
Filed under: Ask Grant, Food Plots
I really enjoyed reviewing your food plot program (GDTV 18). I noticed after watching several of your videos, beans are an important part of your food plot system. My family and I own a 115 acre farm in southern Ohio where we have 4 food plots ranging in size from 1/4 acre to 3/4 acre. My smaller plots are in clovers and my larger plots are in annuals (winter rye/clover and brassicas). I rotate the annuals each year taking advantage of the nitrogen from the clover. I have always wanted to plant soybeans, but I am afraid my plots are too small due to the high deer densities we have (30-50 deer per sq. mi). Have you heard of anyone successfully planting soybeans with another crop like cereal grains or brassicas? I’m afraid if I plant SB alone, the deer will wipe them out in a matter of days. Do you have any suggestions or should I stick to the rotation I am doing now due to the limited size of my plots? Thanks for all you do! Darron
Darron,
I’m a huge believer in the old adage, “if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it.” It sounds as if you have a great program in place! Like you, I’d have some concerns about planting forage soybeans in plots less than an acre in size given the deer density you describe. Soybeans don’t produce well when planted with competition, so I’d probably stick with the blends you are using. As an alternative, you might try fencing a plot (Gallagher fences) to allow the soybeans to become established before exposing them to browse pressure. This has worked well in similar situations. Another variable is the amount of forage available in your neighborhood. Are your neighbors producing row crops or are they all timber? The amount of quality forage in the neighborhood will have an impact on your decisions.
Growing Deer together,
Grant
