Unconventional Food Plot Ideas for Deer?

[williaada]

I would be happy to help you with your elk problem next fall

Been trying to restore my place from overgrazing 10 yrs. Being in NM & no nitrogen in soil does not help when you seed or plant. Elk mowing everything the rodents do not get is another. Deer are common at my neighbors but not here,elk are & antelope.
I have had good results with seeding Fourwing Saltbrush & the other natives are coming back that deer like. All the seed I have bought has done poorly due to lack of rain at right time or the poor soil. Even native grass & wildflower mixes grown in NM have done poorly.
I have only had cattle on here for 8 months in 10 years. The native grasses & plants have regrown well.Buckbrush, Sheepsorel, Saltbrush. etc coming back.
I have been planting some berries & fruit trees inside my elkproof fence area & just ordered Sand Plums & Bush Cherries to plant on fence row. Hopefully some Narrowleaf Cottonwoods will make it to become thicket near the stock tank. I will be planting some perennial rye down around the well & tank that overflows finally. The traditional plots & rows I have seeded have not done well at all down in the bottom. If it does come up the ravens & rodents make short work of the sprouts. I have seen some good growth with plain old rye around here ,if it rains.

 

[manitou1]

They seem to like my bluegrass/turf fescue in the yard of my new build here in WY. Lol.

 

[Hydrophilic]

No personal experience but this guy from the MW has great content.

I’ve done a fair amount of research for an eventual project at our Michigan property and have seen a native shrub by the name of Red Osier Dogwood mentioned several times. Aside from deer interest, they are loaded with berries in the fall for birds, and are a host plant for a variety of bugs. Better yet, you can live stake them and create a thicket for free.