Trophy Collector
A good 3 year old buck
For smaller food plots like a half acre to an acre can forge beans handle more browsing pressure than the round up ready ag soybeans?
Opinions on Eagle Forage Beans
- Thread starter Trophy Collector
- Start date
Terrific_tom
5 year old buck +
Yes they can handle browsing pressure but probably not make beans in your growing season. I grew them 2 years in a row and never got a bean in North Central Wisconsin. Ag soybeans for Northern areas will give your deer food in summer, make beans and will give deer food into winter.
Greta&Gus
5 year old buck +
I have planted Ag beans, Real World Beans, and Eagle beans side by side and in my opinion the Eagle beans were the best for the total forage growth. When it comes to pod production however, I would list them as last. If you don't get heavy browse in the mid summer months you will get some pods which can provide attraction later in the season.
I would first decide what your goals are. If you want the most forage, no question go with Eagle. If you want the best price go get some 'normal' Ag beans. If you want the longest lasting pods get Real World. If it were me and I only had 1/2 an acre I would plant Eagle beans and then overseed turnips later in the year to provide a different food source from the same plot.
I would first decide what your goals are. If you want the most forage, no question go with Eagle. If you want the best price go get some 'normal' Ag beans. If you want the longest lasting pods get Real World. If it were me and I only had 1/2 an acre I would plant Eagle beans and then overseed turnips later in the year to provide a different food source from the same plot.
B
bat man
Guest
I did them side by side in central MN and would not pay the extra money. I did not have heavy deer pressure but our growing season seemed too short too appreciate the extra days to maturity. Frost turned both sets brown.
Greta&Gus
5 year old buck +
Interesting. Consistently my eagles stay green longer than all of the Ag fields in my area. I normally get another 2 to 3 weeks before they fully brown out.
wiscwhip
5 year old buck +
That is ok if you're happy with the amount of food the Eagles have provided the deer up to that point, very bad if you want to broadcast anything into those beans for later in the winter and the following spring. Those 3 weeks that the leaves on those Eagles are still green and shading the ground could be used to get another top seeded crop of rye or wheat farther along to better feed your deer and survive the winter. That also makes brassicas almost worthless in that situation, no way are you going to get any really good growth top seeding them that late. About 80% of the guys I have talked to say that is one of the biggest drawbacks to Eagles, the lack of the ability to top seed a decent winter cover crop that will feed deer after the soys have dropped their leaves.
Terrific_tom
5 year old buck +
This and the late maturity date which doesn't allow the Eagle's to make beans, make them a summer to 1st hard frost food only in Northern areas. Now if you are in Southern Illinois or Southern Indiana where there is a longer growing season they may be right for you.
wiscwhip
5 year old buck +
Yup, I agree TT and that is an ok plan as long as you are willing and able to allow that area to remain basically fallow until the following spring planting except for the soybean residue. This is not impossible for some guys with a lot of acreage in other winter food, but with limited plot space, Eagles are not really a great choice either way. No pods and no way to get something else established in the bean stubble/residue leaves you with an empty hole in that area of your winter food "bucket". Sure, they will produce more summer food than just about anything else you could plant, but come mid to late Sept when the frost finally kills them you will not have enough growing days to even get rye to produce anything worth calling a winter food source.
Greta&Gus
5 year old buck +
Valid points. I wouldn't top seed Ag beans after they brown either though, it would have to be done in August. I think the key is deciding what you want out of the 1/2 acre plot. The size of the plot to me would play a factor in what you are going to plant. Deer could easily wipe out a 1/2 acre plot of beans, of any kind, by the end of July. Or at a minimum keep them pretty mowed down. I have had excellent success with Eagle beans sustaining and continuing to grow after heave pressure, not with Ag beans. I also wouldn't plant a 1/2 acre bean plot if my plan was to have to get eaten down and overseed with brassica later on. I would just plant the brassica.
This is a picture of our Ag beans a few years back (2009 I think).
Here is a picture of our Eagle Beans in August the following year (2010 I think) just down from the other location.
My years might be off, but this is a prime example as to why we switched from Ag to Eagle.
This is a picture of our Ag beans a few years back (2009 I think).
Here is a picture of our Eagle Beans in August the following year (2010 I think) just down from the other location.
My years might be off, but this is a prime example as to why we switched from Ag to Eagle.
Greta&Gus
5 year old buck +
We have other winter plots. Last year actually was the worst our Eagle beans have done and I overseeded brassica into them. Part of the reason was because we didn't use any fertilizer to save on money and used a corn planter for row spacing. I actually prefer to broadcast beans. This is in MN, we only have 6 acres in WI.
Freeborn
5 year old buck +
Jerry, the post must be old as it is not available on your profile page.
Greta&Gus
5 year old buck +
I think you would be hard pressed to say they are a better attractant than any other bean, but based strictly on tonnage per acre they may appear that way.
Freeborn
5 year old buck +
I was thinking if they were preferred over AG beans I would add a 1/4 acre to Lower pressure on my regular beans to provide more pods. I understand the northern managers mix has some forage beans in the mix so maybe that might work if they were a preferred attraction. If not AG beans would be a better fit.
