Best Food For Deer
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ส.ค. 2024
- The best food for deer may surprise you! While browse, apples, acorns and chestnuts may rule the deer woods on public land, they fall woefully short on private land. Make sure to check out a whitetails favorite food source on private land...a food source 99% of the time you can not live without. IF, you want to build a great herd and hunt.
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Last year I wrapped the chestnut tree cages in November with burlap and definitely helped the trees during the winter and the trees doubled in size during the summer.
I'm one of those chronic long posters you mentioned the other day...so I'll do my best to be brief. Great video...couple of tips from my experience. First on chestnuts...if you are in the northern part of chestnut range like I am in Southern Michigan, I recommend not using the tree tubes that they inevitably will try to sell you. I had a couple bad experience with losing chestnuts, and an arborist buddy of mine told me to skip the tubes. He says chestnuts are very sensitive to temp changes, and if they are in tubes the greenhouse effect from a few consecutive mild winter days can be enough to roust them from dormancy...enough that when the weather changes back to normal cold temps, they can stress and die. Since then I have left them untubed and have not lost any. It was an expensive lesson. Second, apple trees can be very fickle and take a lot of work to nurse to maturity...seems like every fungus and pest loves an apple tree. After having my fill of being the apple tree doctor, I've since switched to pear trees and it has been a great move. They are very low maintenance and the deer love them. So unless your goal is apple pie or cider, do your self a favor and try pears. My favorite is the "wild pear" variety that produce loads of fruit the size of a golf ball.
Your 100% right. I live in Florida, so I am limited on apple varieties because of chill hours needed to fruit and I have had great luck with pears 🍐 and deer love them. I would recommend persimmons to you if you live in a zone that they can survive. If you do buy seeds and plant them. They're cheap and I've had great luck planting them with seed. They are either male or female and you need both.
What varieties of apples were you growing and were they apples or crabapples?
@@matthewdennis1739 Anna and another variety they they said I needed for pollinating it.
Ah, not familair with that cultivar. Liberty has really done well for me with it's disease resistance. In my experience apple trees are best when you choose a diverse variety who all have moderate to great overall disease resistance. Of course I started planting my apple trees for buy from the store.cider and pie, so coming from a little different perspective. The other thing is I started planting my own trees from seed and they are often more resilient IMO than the grafted varieties you buy. Granted it takes a bit longer for them to mature and bear fruit.
Agreed on pears as well though, they often offer very good disease tolerance and grow well in a variety of circumstances.
Where did you get your "wild pears?"
@@matthewdennis1739 I've used Chestnut Hill, Ty Ty Nursery, and other local Nurserys. I've have Thanksgiving Pear, Wild life pear. Kiefer pear and I believe a Sand Pear. I've also use cutting from local pears of family members as well.
Been watching your videos for years. Inherited a small 8 acre lot surrounded by anti hunters to the north and low to moderate hunt pressure in rest of directions. Currently the property is just a pass through area. Going to try a couple things not to drastic to see if I can at least define their movement a little more and have them travel the length of property instead of across the small width. Thanks for all the videos
Perfect timing. My heavily laden crab apple trees are dropping fruit in my front food plot, the brassica and rye in that plot is under 14-15" of snow and ice and the deer aren't trying to get to that - but they are beating the area under the crab apples to a snowy froth as the fruit drops. Planted some chestnuts in two plots taking about 10% as everything else on the 100 acres is already wooded.
Congrats on your success Jeff - looking forward to seeing that coffee!
I started following Whitetail Habitat Solutions and Jeff Sturgis became my go to source on deer and deer hunting because of previously wasted money l spent on Dunstan Chestnut trees. The Dunstan Chestnut tree was recommended by a tv personality deer hunter. What a waste of time and money. Deer eat the chestnuts, but they feed on the food plots first and for a lot longer period of time. They'll leave Chestnuts on the ground to go to the food plot. Once again great information by Jeff.
So true about anyone selling chestnut trees! They are happy to take your money! There is a reason why you won't see them growing in the northwoods. I just had a guy try selling me those and northern persimmon, I asked the question, what the farthest north you got them to grow! Never got a response.
I don't know where you are, but American Persimmon are rated up to Zone 4. It can be a little more spotty, but I know people who have had success with them in zone 5 at least. A lot of it is going to depend where you're planting them and the micro-climate. Are they protected from wind? Are they planted in a thermal belt? Are you avoiding frost pockets?
So true, i hunt chestnuts in early October, they get devoured as they fall... then nothing !
Can't wait to start food plotting.. already have lime, glypho, seed etc... chompin at the bit ! I need to do some cutting, dang Snow's to deep 😭 Thanks for all the help 👍🏻🇺🇸🦌
Love your channel! I have my wife's younger cousin watching now to!
Persimmon trees and Swamp White Oak. Consider installing a Screech Owl nest box to check rodent populations. Forest mice are often infected with parasites and commonly host ticks. Mice attract vip vipers and coyotes.
Persimmon trees are a very poor choice north of the southern IN line. Oaks are overrated, unfortunately...but cool as an addition to an otherwise good habitat. And you have good habitat...you will have owls and other predators.
I mix my leftover coffee, about 1/2 to1cup with four cups of corn and 1/2 cup of dried molasses, let soak overnight and put it out as a treat for the dear, (and now squirrels turkeys and a multitude of other wildlife ) and they love it almost to an addiction!
We got a bunch of random crabapple trees on our land and the deer love them
You have been to a lot of states, but I never hear anything about any where in Canada. You guys are missing out. Love the Info Jeff. Thank you.
Following you for 4 plus year's has changed my hunting life!!! I got a awesome northern Mi swamp 8 point and I'm on a nice one for next year! Love your stuff man.
Kevan Smith is a great guy, he came out to my property this year w/ Jeff. Very knowledgeable!
That was a great day Andrew!
Came to the conclusion that it is hard to compete with the neighbor who is a mile away is putting in huge food plots.And big alfalfa fields.I get a lot of pictures of good deer.But getting pictures and getting them 25 yards in front of you are two different things..Thanks for all you do for all of us.
It is so true D! And youbare very welcome!
D, smaller food plots can compete especially after frost from what I've seen. I did Jeff's no till brassica/OPB mix and have under 2 acres of food that has been competing with 70+ of prime alfalfa. I thought I was losing all the deer after seeing does in the field, but when I pulled a camera over the food I realized that I was vacuuming in a TON of bucks. Jeff strategies work plain and simple!
@@alexpinnow6509 Night time pictures ??I get a lot of good deer at night.They are just coming from a ways away..Hitting my mock scrapes,As they are passing through.Don’t get me wrong .I shoot some good deer.Right place,right time..
@@dswish1730 the majority have actually been afternoon/mid-day bucks. Not a big place by any means but very low pressure
@@alexpinnow6509 Looks and sounds like ya have a great place?What state?
Can’t wait to try out the coffee! Congrats and Goodluck on the new endeavor
If I’m gonna drive 35 minutes down I90 to Winona You will need to sell that coffee in 25 lbs bags! (We are just off 52/90!)
Agree re can't strictly depend on oaks for acorns. My 200 acres in NW Wisconsin are dominated by acorns and the last two years there have been very few acorns dropping. As a result, I've had very few deer around, especially during hunting season. I'm putting in food plots this year.
In addition, because of an extensive canopy, there's little browse available as well. It's a perfect storm for having very limited deer on the property. So, I'm cutting trees to open the canopy to 30-50% and developing food plots of brassicas and cereals to support fall and winter hunting. An excellent book is Jeff’s “Food Plot Success By Design.” it gives you everything you need to know for successful property development regarding deer nutrition management.
@@MrRABland if you have that kind of acreage you might want to consider a commercial timber sale. We just did a small sale and it’s one of the best things we could’ve ever done. You could use proceeds to help with your food plot plans. Or have loggers open up food plot areas as part of the sale. Just a thought.
@@kyleyoung775 Thanks, Kyle. I've thought about hiring a logger but wasn't sure if they would take the appropriate trees (and not just the valuable trees) that support my property design for hunting. And, if they followed my plan if the timber they removed would be valuable enough to offset the cost of their logging. I'm retired and on a fixed income and can't afford much. Also, I’d like to get this clearing done this winter, and not sure they could do it that soon.
@@MrRABland yep you’re right, that timeline is tough for this year. Down the road if you decide to look into doing more, I would highly suggest contacting your local DNR forester or a cooperating forester that would represent your interests. Good luck!
You guys are awesome, I love this channel and I love the community you guys have. God bless you guys
Thanks for another great video, can't wait to try the new coffee!!
Awesome that you are going to have Kevan on board. We went to school together at Seneca Valley, he was a few years younger than me. Good guy!
Planting 30 hybrid chestnut trees on my property in wv this spring and 30 more hybrid chestnuts in the fall
Great vid thanks, i'm definately interested in the coffee, ill give it a try
Thank you for the great content. I have learned a lot from you and have consistently put some mature deer on the wall since I started listening to your advice.
I want that coffee cup!!
Getting some persimmon trees this year and some apple trees to put in between bedding and food help pull them in the direction I need them to go
Perfect video for me , I was considering chestnut 🌰, but I am up in Amberg WI, and it sounds like an uphill battle, with them in my climate, I think I spend the money on more apples 🍎 !!
Amen to that William!
You need to come down to Louisiana if you’ve never been, Jeff. Especially if you enjoy fishing. Maybe even try duck hunting.
I have 17 acres bordering thousands of acres of conservation land in southern Missouri. I have almost no oaks and not a single chestnut that I have seen. I have loads of hickory and blackberry briars and was planning on planting two or three apple, pear and cherry trees with a clover and barley ground cover in a three acre section that is next to the travel corridor they use now.
Have you ever used honey locust trees as a food source? Some of my shed hunting spots in MN have honey locust trees, the black pods seem to fall off in in December and January. Deer trample them out pretty thoroughly- I've always thought that it might be a good addition to provide a perennial late season food source.
Thanks for mentioning NC, ya'll keep up the great work. Can't wait to get things started in the next week or two.
Hi, what are your thoughts on paw paw and deer? A lot of the shore lands here in north east maryland have huge groves of paw paw.
I think the deer definitely prefer white oak acorns but they drop early and then sprout and the deer don’t seem to want them once they sprout but the red oak acorns drop later and don’t sprout so here in central PA the deer do seem to come back around and eventually eat the red oak acorns too just my observation could be a regional thing
Nice pottery mug from your wife, Jeff!
I've heard good things about plum trees..
When is the BEST time of year to plant fruit trees ?
Hi Pete...definitely the spring 👍
Hi Jeff, curious if you will try chestnuts at your new property in Minnesota? I planted 40 trees I started from seed last fall in southern Minnesota. I’m curious to see how they will do with our winters.
Lol at this thumbnail, honey I shrunk the Jeff.
Jeff where can I get red cedar to plant in our bedding areas after the timber guy gets done cutting?
Have yall seen a lot of problems with chestnut blight? I'm a forester in Louisiana, and I don't think I have seen a mature chestnut tree that was regularly producing a crop because of blight.
Oh for sure! The new strains are blight resistant tho which is good. Otherwise they are all gone...
Have you ever worked a property with a coppice? I'm planning on installing about 3.5a of coppiced ash and possibly American chestnut for fuelwood and as a conservation attempt.
They provide dense cover when resprouting, however deer browse is one of the most destructive things for a coppice.
How do I find a balance? Rabbit huts around the stools? Food plots to pull the deer away?
very interesting scenario and question!
American plum are also eaten by deer and are native.
Iv tried many different mineral blocks and none of them seem to work that good, which one have you used that works best
Hi Jeff, on my property we have 2 patches of white pines/cedar. One that is super thick and hard to walk through and about 3 acres. For this patch I was thinking of making small openings to allow more sunlight to hit the ground. The other is just cedar, and not much cover under the dense canopy. For this one, I’m thinking of either removing all the cedars or doing like the other and making small openings. I was wondering if you had any advice?
In all honesty I would try planting a ruffed grouse society clover mix. It doesn't need much light and is hardy. Just saying cuz in my experience cedar and white pine thick forrest are usually travel routes. If you cut it too open they might go right around you if there is better food in there area. Or just clear a lot and make a big food plot and leave a safety perimeter of thick trees for safe travel.
How about hazel nut bushes? Deer seem to like them and I have some around my plots...would also make good screening bushes. Never tried growing them though.
Great video
Pears are great because they stay on trees longer than apples. We can't bait in my area.
Planting trees isn't baiting
Great video. My property, 46 acres, new to me last year,logged 2 years ago, almost all wooded. Tons of browse. Had good food plots. This years focus clearing some areas for bigger plots that can be accessed correctly. Favorite plot items in opened wooded areas?
I’m going to try peas and beans early and then layer winter rye on top of that on half of each plot. Brassicas on the other half, and then alternate each year where I plant the brassicas.
Looking 4wrd to trying tha coffee
Great video, you answered some questions I had on this sublect. Any thoughts on corn feeders???
I'm curious why you left out american beech nuts. Love hunting them.
Jeff I have been planting pair trees because I can't get apple trees to grow. The cedar apple rust keep killing them. Do you think deer like pairs or do know any apple trees that are resistant to cedar apple rust. Thanks
What crop is best for food plots? If soybeans are no good because they get eaten, what gets planted instead?
Hi Jeff, if you have a lot of wet area surrounding your land, would planting Red Osier Dogwood cuttings around your foodplots or bedding areas be beneficial? Or would I be better off planting spruce or something else to thicken it up? The two spots I would plant the ROD I wouldnt be walking by, so I wouldnt be using it to screen access to the blind/stand from me, but it could provide a thicker screen so the neighboring property cannot see into the foodplot.
I have been planting Buckwheat ( spring ) Rye ( fall ) The Rye works great is there an alternative to buckwheat because the deer won't let it grow to more then 6 inches
Good day jeff and Dylan I have a 60 acre parcel in hillsdale mi it has about 30 acres of cattail marsh it’s got some areas very wet and some that’s fairly dry it had a lot of big trees in it that seemed to have died off some are still living I was thinking about plants swamp white oaks in there and was wondering if it’s a good idea or just a waste of time and money was also wondering if u had any other ideals on swamp habitat improvement? I don’t really hear you guys or anyone else out there talk much about cattails and marsh . I’m also clearing about 4 acres where a house used to be and plan to try some of your food plot techniques in there . Thanks for all the good videos hope to hear a response
Do you have a salesperson up here in the Twin Cities? I’d be happy to hand deliver a pound of coffee to every shop here in the metro!
Jeff, I planted 3 chestnut trees last spring in the Lacrosse area locally. Are you aware of any surviving chestnut tree that survive in this area? Or in your opinion did I waste my money and time watering them everyday?
Hi Jeff I'm looking to buy one pair of good binoculars what would you recommend?
You mention Persimmion in southern Ohio, would ypu plant them along I 80 in western PA?
Jeff care to comment on what your pollinator blends are that you use to compliment switchgrass areas?
Cabn you do a video on food plots in the woods
Come to Nova Scotia Canada want to get a big plot going 90 acres it’s private/public do you have a website I can look on
Anyone know what was planted at the 2:43 to 2:47 time frame? looks like sugar beets in which I am thinking of planting this year.
Northwoods Whitetails Sweet Feast Brassica Blend. Used it for around 11 years now...
Unless you can fence in or have huge acreage I would not recommend sugar beats...
How's Hawthorne berry trees as a food source I have a ton of trees on my property ?
Do you have any recommendations where to buy fruit trees and pines or cedars?
QUESTION: what type apple do you recommend for N. Wisconsin [Rice lake area] ... ie.. *** what drops the latest?? and of course is winter hardy??
Whitney crabapple, chestnut crabapple, fireside apple tree, a honey gold and 2 frostbite apple trees works great for me. I’m just down the road if your from rice lake… the crab apples trees are great pollinators and the deer like those 2
Thanks Jeff! Kinda off topic, but I've been watching a lot of your switchgrass videos, and trying to figure out how long after you spray 2 qt per acre of glyphosate, and 1pt per acre of 24d do you plant switchgrass? I just don't want to kill my seeds. Also, will glyphosate hurt if I spray right on top of the seeds?
30 days
Coffee. Yes, good choice, can’t wait to try it. Coffee and hunting were made for each other. And from someone who is a true a second amendment supporter unlike that other fake gun brand coffee.
What are your feelings on Spice bush? We have quite a bit on our property now.
It, and autumn olive are taking over our old fields.
Man I miss you being at 10k subscribers 😢
What is that FF?
@@whitetailhabitatsolutions9751 cuz now you're not hungry ...you made it 🤣
@@FarmallFanatic haha 😊 If you only knew the drive! Feel like I work harder than ever...I need to go back to 10k subscriber mode 🤣
@@whitetailhabitatsolutions9751 AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Hi Jeff. I have a lot of very old apple trees on one of the properties I hunt. Do you recommend any type of pruning or maintenance for these older trees, or is it better to just let them go as they have for decades?
My experience is that it will depend on how well they're producing and what the circumstances are. If those old apples are struggling to produce and getting shaded out it can beneficial to go in and clear out some of the trees in the area competing for sun. Of course this will depend on a lot of different factors.
@@matthewdennis1739 Thanks Matt! Some still do produce regularly, while others are very intermittent. They are a great compliment that border two of my foodplots. I'm just always looking to improve the production. I think I will do some thinning to the areas that seem crowded and less fruit bearing. Appreciate your feedback!
@@joshny4766 No problem. NY is an apple haven. I live in PA, but a few miles from the NY border. I'm a bit of an apple tree lover. Competition for sunlight, water, nutrients, etc will always impact the production of fruit. If you can clear out competition that should help. You just have to be wary of what you're clearing out and whether that other stuff also provided important benefits.
I don't know how old you are or whether you plan on passing down your land but if you plan on managing in the long run it can be fun and beneficial to plant your own apple trees from seed. A lot of people buy grafted trees because of the convenience and fact they will grow faster and you'll know exactly what apple the tree will produce, but if the tree is just for deer/wildlife it can be fun to grow from seed and see what you get. The best part is the seeds are free, just cut open a ripe apple and take them out ;)
@@matthewdennis1739 You are talking to another huge apple fan here! And you are correct, NY (I'm in CNY) is an apple paradise. I like your idea....I think I might try to grow some from seed this year.
Any client in Nebraska ?
Norther Indiana here and have 60 Persimmon trees doing well. Only about half produce fruit. Is that normal??
Only the female persimmons will produce fruit
@@justinkelley4984 good to know. Thanks.