My buddy had oats in that headed out one year and he could not get them harvested due to a wet field. The Deer were in that field all fall. I hope this has the same effect.
I left some oats/clover go and clipped the rest of the plot to see what the deer would do to it. I have never planted a oat a peas plot good luck with it.
I have never planted peas but think I may give them a shot this yr as well.. Oats are always good! I still have to get my kill plots planted. I sprayed them a couple wks ago. Sure wish I could have planted yesterday with this nice rain we got this morning:(..
The very 1st year that I owned my land I planted peas and oats. Worked very well for bow season but that year we had cold weather and snow early so the deer were not in the plot as much. In following years I always mixed rye and wheat into the mix so I had something green to offer. I would think being farther south that you should have green thru most of your season.
Are those winter peas or field peas, that generally come pre mixed with oats? You are definitely going to get some seed out of your oats. The seed won't likely have enough time to fully develop. I doubt you will be disappointed with the oats no matter how mature they get. My summer planted oats usually starts dying around mid December.
I'm leaving 4 acres of spring planted oats to see what happens with that. The everything is already golden and dry. My hunch is it will be all wiped out by February. I can't see them chewing on the plant though. Deer don't eat straw.
I brush hogged the other half of the field high, and there is seed every half inch. We just need the moisture to get it going. I know it's gonna germinate, I just want to get the most out of it, because they love eating it.
They are awesome !! We have been planting them for years. Deer just hammer them. If I could plant just one thing for Sept-early Nov. it would be oats and peas.
I planted 4010 field peas in SE MN last year and the deer really didn't seem to like them. I planted the peas in a mix with some oats and a little buckwheat and everything looked great to me but the deer left them alone. The deer pounded the soybeans that were planted nearby, so at least in my area soybeans are preferred over 4010 field peas.
I'll be plant'n peas in a week or so. I will row plant soys and AWP and then broadcast turnips and radish. In a few weeks after that I will broadcast winter wheat and rye - it all goes in the same plot but with a pattern in mind. Iam trying to determine what the deer like and when.