Soybean Rating For High Deer Density

[deer patch]

I have drilled soybeans before at 50 pds acre and they only get 6”-8” tall with a few pods. I‘m thinking of planting at a rate of 75-100 pds acre. Will a higher rate be worth it with high deer density area? Looking for pod production.

 

[swat1018]

It may help. How large of a plot are you talking about? In small plots nothing much helps with high densities...

 

[deer patch]

One is 2 acres and the other is 3 acres. I could plant three 1 acre plots but I know they wouldn’t have a chance to do much.

 

[yoderjac]

Short of an gallagher-style e-fence, you wont' have much luck with ag beans with high deer densities. I doubt increasing planting rates will help at all. If you are on the ratty edge with your plot size as it relates to deer population, I found that a light mix of corn (say 7:1 by weight beans to corn) has some protective value, but I was using forage beans that respond to browse pressure better. I found I had bigger beans near the corn stalks.

 

[cutman]

Will a higher rate be worth it with high deer density area?

No. I planted 10 acres once and they were gone in a couple of days after they reached 6”. In a high density area I wouldn’t bother with soybeans. Plant a mix of cowpeas, sunn hemp, buckwheat, sorghum, sunflowers, etc.

 

[deer patch]

Short of an gallagher-style e-fence, you wont' have much luck with ag beans with high deer densities. I doubt increasing planting rates will help at all. If you are on the ratty edge with your plot size as it relates to deer population, I found that a light mix of corn (say 7:1 by weight beans to corn) has some protective value, but I was using forage beans that respond to browse pressure better. I found I had bigger beans near the corn stalks.

I don’t want to go the e-fence route due to I don’t live on the farm I hunt and I have bears to deal with also, so corn is probably out as well.

No. I planted 10 acres once and they were gone in a couple of days after they reached 6”. In a high density area I wouldn’t bother with soybeans. Plant a mix of cowpeas, sunn hemp, buckwheat, sorghum, sunflowers, etc.

I thought about planting a mix like you say and have found a source for that same mix with millet added to it for $56 a bag which will plant an acre but I had shoulder surgery last spring which let grass take hold of most of my plots and was wanting to spray roundup on it during season to clean them up.

 

[deer patch]

I found a source for a forage type roundup ready bean and was going to use those For reasons stated above.

 

[RGrizzzz]

I found a source for a forage type roundup ready bean and was going to use those For reasons stated above.

Think about a companion crop with the beans, if they're going to get wiped out like folks suggest. MennoniteMan has a thread about planting Titan forage soy beans at double the rate, and good luck against pressure, but I think his plots are bigger.

 

[yoderjac]

I found a source for a forage type roundup ready bean and was going to use those For reasons stated above.

Eagle beans are RR forage beans, but they produce tiny pods. I used them when I had high deer density issues, but I'm in zone 7A where summer is more of a stress period than winter. Deer seem to ignore pods here unless we have a poor acorn crop.

 

[deer patch]

Think about a companion crop with the beans, if they're going to get wiped out like folks suggest. MennoniteMan has a thread about planting Titan forage soy beans at double the rate, and good luck against pressure, but I think his plots are bigger.

I read his thread and I looks like he had success on 3.5 acres, so I’m going to give it a try. Worst case is they won’t make it any better than they did before.

 

[Kurt]

Hoping that works out. Please update later in the summer. I am in a similar position.

 

[deer patch]

Hoping that works out. Please update later in the summer. I am in a similar position.

Will do. I just got back from picking up the seed this morning.

 

[ScottB]

It depends.... A small food plot with a high deer density, there are not many crops, if any that can do good. A true forage soybean variety is head and shoulders better than an ag type bean for tolerating browse pressure. The Gallagher e-fence method works, at least for me. I know you say you do not want to use an e-fence, and I understand that. I saw what and how an e-fence was performing for a friend, and it opened up my thinking about them. What is the habitat like near the food plot? Good food available or a no food available? Timing the planting with spring green up will help take browse pressure off of the soybeans. Regarding the Titan RR forage soybeans mentioned above, they do work well.

 

[Mennoniteman]

I read his thread and I looks like he had success on 3.5 acres, so I’m going to give it a try. Worst case is they won’t make it any better than they did before.

The amount of acres planted isn't the only factor, timely rains, fertilizer rates, and weed control are very important too. My favorite go to for high deer density would be clover with a mix added.
Or plant corn and shoot the bears when they show up. The timing of bear season is critical for this route.

 

[deer patch]

With a cold and wet May I got a late start. I sprayed gly at 2 quarts per acre 2 weeks ago and most of the plots were dry enough to plant this past Friday on the 26th. I know this is later than most have planted but the weather never got right to plant any earlier. I went ahead and planted at 100 pds acre. I have a very good thatch layer that will help get them started before the deer can find them, so I hope that will help.