Grain Crop Foodplots

[Outdoorsygirl]

Has anyone had any luck with grain crop food plots attracting grouse in the winter? Like sorghum or millet? We have an old field that we are trying to figure out the best thing along with deer food as well.


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[S.T.Fanatic]

Has anyone had any luck with grain crop food plots attracting grouse in the winter? Like sorghum or millet? We have an old field that we are trying to figure out the best thing along with deer food as well.


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Plum?


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[rocksnstumps]

What are winter conditions typically like in your area? Persistent snow for several months and looking for food source to remain above the snow? Pheasant clubs around here plant sorghum for the winter but have not heard of a grouse focus from anyone. Have seen grouse in edge of cornfield after deer knocked down and left partial cobs on ground. Pheasants like that too but do need other critters to leave waste grain on ground.

If enough of the time bare ground is present instead of continuous snow cover, would think clover would work as good as anything. Clover on logging roads definitely attracts grouse in the fall/winter if no snow.

 

[rocksnstumps]

Plum?


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Plum is not much of a winter food source at least around here. All varieties are on the ground and gone by mid September.

Persistent crabapples and berries that stay on the shrub so ground critters cannot scarf up are good winter food source tho.

 

[bigboreblr]

Up in the aidrondacks they go crazy over young turnip shoots. Never done it, but could easily shoot several with a 22. Last time I was up there I was 4 for 4. Walking into each food plot and bumping into a few each time. Millet would be good. I would also put one or two spots of small pebbles around for their crops.

You would need a seed head that holds into the winter for them really. You might be onto something wth sorghum or millet. I have never used either. When I hunted grouse up there, I'd see my dog excited but coudn't figure out why until I looked up. Birch trees catkins.

Looking into a few bird crabapple trees to provide the critters with winters.

NYSDEC has a grouse packet. for their spring seedling sale.
American hazelnut, red osier dogwood, pussy willow, white spruce, witch hazel,
winged sumac

My old hunting club grew wheat for their pheasant releases. I tend to think that would be a bit better than rye or oats far a the big 3 go.

 

[jsasker007]

Rye and wheat with some brassicas would be pretty decent I would think. Rye and wheat will be coming back in the spring and the rye will help keeps the weeds down. Might as well throw some clover and chicory in there while your at it. Add some diversity. jmho

 

[Bill]

I planted WGF sorghum one year. Nothing touched it until one day the deer started eating it. They wiped out a couple acres pretty darn fast. So if your deer density is high it might not be there for the grouse.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

Sunflowers?


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[H20fwler]

We don't have grouse right here, but where we hunt them I see a lot around stands on winterberry.

I've planted millet around one of our ponds before for waterfowl and the deer bit all the heads off in summer.

 

[chucker66]

Grouse eat buds and fruit. They don't eat a lot of grains. So crab apples, elderberry, chokecherry, etc, for buds almost any tree buds but poplar, birch. maple, seem to be their preferred. These trees all bud at different times of the year. Last year in my stand I watched 3 grouse go through s bunch of poplar trees going from branch to branch eating the buds. They make quite a racket when they do this. This is why after a logging you will see an upswing of your local grouse population. They also like clover and bugs but you only get those in the summer. Cereal grains will not do a lot to attract grouse.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

Has anyone had any luck with grain crop food plots attracting grouse in the winter? Like sorghum or millet? We have an old field that we are trying to figure out the best thing along with deer food as well.


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Grouse on my Rusk County Wisconsin property love corn food plots - they eat the corn just like a pheasant. I'm assuming grouse would also eat sorghum or millet, but I've never tried it.

Another great late season food source for grouse is the red splendor crabapple - I've planted dozens specifically for grouse and pheasants.