Managing Native Vegetation for Whiteâ€“tailed Deer

Posted on 31. Aug, 2009 by admin in Hunting Tips

As a follower of QDMA, we try to keep up to day with their tips to build a quality mangment area for our wildlife. We’re getting our food plots ready at this time and we want to do it right so we can grow and continue to attract more quality deer. I found this on their website and thought I would share incase you missed it.

Summer
Summer is one of the most critical, but often overlooked times of the year for managing wildlife habitats. This is the time mature bucks are producing antlers, does are lactating, and newborn fawns are growing. Late summer is also one of the two times of the year when native food sources are least available and/or low quality. Consequently, supplementing native vegetation with food plots at this time of the year is critical for optimum nutrition.

Summer Food Plot Options
Crop Planting Date*
Soybeans Aprilâ€“June
Cowpeas Aprilâ€“June
American Jointvetch Marchâ€“June
BioLogic Summer
Management Blend March-June
Rape Aprilâ€“July
Lablab Aprilâ€“June
Corn Marchâ€“May
Millet Aprilâ€“July
Grain Sorghum May-June
*Forage species should be planted progressively later from southern to northern climates.

There are many options in addition to those listed above that can be used to provide nutrition to your deer herd during the stressful summer months. Late summer is also the time to make an additional applications of fertilizers to native plants. This will ensure these plants grow well and provide good nutrition well into early fall.

John Johnson