Soybean Decision - When to remove the electric fence...

[MilkweedManiac]

I’d love to hear some thoughts on what others would do in my situation.

I currently have two separate soybean plots (see diagram) that are one acre each and the leaves are just starting to turn yellow here and there. They have both been double layer hot-fenced since day one and have a decent yield of pods on them.

The Egyptian Wheat did great, 10 feet or so in most areas. The FF is basically LC’s Plot mix with some sunflowers added in also.

These areas will need to be hunted during firearm season to avoid putting pressure on the herd. Deer are actively bedding in the CRP and sides of hills. All the other CRP Landowners bush hogged this year which leads me to believe my quail habitat crp grasses above and below soybeans may be holding additional deer this year.

My access will be to troll across the lake and hunt the blind on top of the levy or to walk through the EW to a blind closer to the soybeans if observations say its time to get aggressive.

Everything around me is corn and that won’t be here long as harvest should happen around mid-October or so.

My thought was to release the western soybean field now (blue arrow in diagram), so that deer can begin to locate and use the hillsides and surrounding cover as bedding to prepare for rut.

I’ve been given the suggestion to leave both plots fenced and wait for firearms season, or just prior (early November) so my food supply will not get wiped out before the second forearms season, muzzleloader-only.

I’m concerned that things are a bit too cramped right now for deer to feel totally comfortable moving in long-term, due to all the fencing. The fall food plot between the two bean fields is kind of blocked-off in a way that prevents them from really accessing it properly. But I do think deer around here will immediately begin eating the pods once I take the fence off, no doubt. They love them around here.

Thoughts and recommendations are appreciated!

MM

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

I'd wait. Let the farmers corn feed the deer as long as possible. I'd want to be hunting those beans as late in the year as your muzzle loader season allows.

 

[35-acre]

Wow. That's quite a solid plot you have! And some great land.

Deer patterns will shift soon from summer to fall if they haven't already. Something you didn't mention was if there were any other natural food sources like acorns around. Speaking from personal experience this year; my plots seem to have had deer choosing the nuts right now as they just started falling here in NY. It was like someone turned on a "no vacancy" sign or something - they're in the woods now. This was a significant reduction in camera pics over the course of 1 week and I haven't been back in 2 weeks (season opens tomorrow - I'll be there this weekend). My thought was that the deer are eating other things now (too) in other locations all summer and fruit and nut trees are starting to drop. So the pressure may not be too much. I don't have corn to contend with. I have hardwoods and general browse for 3 miles in all directions and I have a 1 1/2 acre plot. SO my experience is likely a little different.

Is your concern that they may wipe the entire plot out? I would think that they will balance themselves out right now.

As for holding additional deer, they may be bedding in the corn you mentioned (plus eating that). So I wouldn't be too concerned about the plot getting wiped out. Once the corn is harvested, I'm sure they will move on to other bedding sources but they will still hit the corn fields for spillage, etc (right?). Plus you seem to have more wooded areas to the south and north of you that also have bedding and possible natural food sources (I was bored and you have really unique shaped ponds - looks like a wolf getting ready to eat a baby bear cub).

My thought, wait a couple of weeks and pull one fence (say the 13th). Then pull the second one a couple of weeks later (say the 27th). That gives you the opportunity to see how hard they hit the first field. If it's too much, then just wait until early November to pull the second one.

 

[Rit]

Deer don’t feed on yellow beans. Do you plan on broadcasting anything into the beans? Now is a great time to load up on WR to add season long attraction.

 

[MilkweedManiac]

I know what you mean. I hear that a lot, but our deer around this area might wait two weeks after leaves fall off before the pods begin to take significant pressure. I’m guessing the leaves will be off of these in a couple weeks or so.

I did plant brassicas and WR into the soybeans recently, though a lack of rain hasn’t made much of it just yet.

I do agree with the theory that the deer are probably hitting white oaks somewhere right now and lowering the fence may not be as significant of a decision as I think in relocating the deer to this property just yet.

 

[MilkweedManiac]

Wow. That's quite a solid plot you have! And some great land.

Deer patterns will shift soon from summer to fall if they haven't already. Something you didn't mention was if there were any other natural food sources like acorns around. Speaking from personal experience this year; my plots seem to have had deer choosing the nuts right now as they just started falling here in NY. It was like someone turned on a "no vacancy" sign or something - they're in the woods now. This was a significant reduction in camera pics over the course of 1 week and I haven't been back in 2 weeks (season opens tomorrow - I'll be there this weekend). My thought was that the deer are eating other things now (too) in other locations all summer and fruit and nut trees are starting to drop. So the pressure may not be too much. I don't have corn to contend with. I have hardwoods and general browse for 3 miles in all directions and I have a 1 1/2 acre plot. SO my experience is likely a little different.

Is your concern that they may wipe the entire plot out? I would think that they will balance themselves out right now.

As for holding additional deer, they may be bedding in the corn you mentioned (plus eating that). So I wouldn't be too concerned about the plot getting wiped out. Once the corn is harvested, I'm sure they will move on to other bedding sources but they will still hit the corn fields for spillage, etc (right?). Plus you seem to have more wooded areas to the south and north of you that also have bedding and possible natural food sources (I was bored and you have really unique shaped ponds - looks like a wolf getting ready to eat a baby bear cub).

My thought, wait a couple of weeks and pull one fence (say the 13th). Then pull the second one a couple of weeks later (say the 27th). That gives you the opportunity to see how hard they hit the first field. If it's too much, then just wait until early November to pull the second one.

I like your train of thinking. Acorns and the corn probably have their attention anyway. Would be a good time to get the wires out of there without too many deer noticing and when the turnips get a frost or two on them it should time out about right with things.

Thanks for your detailed post!

 

[MilkweedManiac]

I'd wait. Let the farmers corn feed the deer as long as possible. I'd want to be hunting those beans as late in the year as your muzzle loader season allows.

That was my goal, to be able to hold lots of does (and bucks) in early December with those beans. November is chaos around here once guns start popping. I don’t care what you have to offer, everything goes nocturnal unless you have the hottest doe on the market in your thicket.

But things really change in December when the woods empties of most of the pressure and that is when I was hoping to have the groceries to lure in some traffic.

 

[35-acre]

Seems like you might want to get something else in with those beans then. At least here (NY) November and December are cold and snowy. While I don't have a lot of experience with beans I don't think that they hold out that long.

I have brassica and turnips in my 1 1/2 acre field, I also just overseeded the entire field with 50 lbs of winter rye and 50 lbs of winter wheat 2 weeks ago. That stuff will still grow and be green in the colder temps and act as a food source draw. The sooner you get that down, the better. I would throw it in on top of the beans (wind and rain will get the seed down to the soil to get it growing).

Like I mentioned earlier, I would start to get those wires out in the next couple of weeks. If you don't have a lot of pressure on your land, you might get some bedding there as you described and they will be close to a food source. The beans may be the draw now. The green wheat/rye might be that thing that helps keep them local once snow is blowing.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

That was my goal, to be able to hold lots of does (and bucks) in early December with those beans. November is chaos around here once guns start popping. I don’t care what you have to offer, everything goes nocturnal unless you have the hottest doe on the market in your thicket.

But things really change in December when the woods empties of most of the pressure and that is when I was hoping to have the groceries to lure in some traffic.

If that is your goal then wait and stick to your plan. It WILL work out well.

 

[MilkweedManiac]

Seems like you might want to get something else in with those beans then. At least here (NY) November and December are cold and snowy. While I don't have a lot of experience with beans I don't think that they hold out that long.

I have brassica and turnips in my 1 1/2 acre field, I also just overseeded the entire field with 50 lbs of winter rye and 50 lbs of winter wheat 2 weeks ago. That stuff will still grow and be green in the colder temps and act as a food source draw. The sooner you get that down, the better. I would throw it in on top of the beans (wind and rain will get the seed down to the soil to get it growing).

Like I mentioned earlier, I would start to get those wires out in the next couple of weeks. If you don't have a lot of pressure on your land, you might get some bedding there as you described and they will be close to a food source. The beans may be the draw now. The green wheat/rye might be that thing that helps keep them local once snow is blowing.

Yes, WR, brassicas, and even some sunflowers/peas were sown into the beans a while back. I have an order in for some rain but currently out of stock...

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

Yes, WR, brassicas, and even some sunflowers/peas were sown into the beans a while back. I have an order in for some rain but currently out of stock...

We have been getting pounded with rain all year. We are currently in another flash flood warning. There was a fish kill on a local trout stream last week. The water and tissue samples were more than likely taken to late (with flash flooding in small streams you have a VERY short window to gather samples) and will not provide any evidence to pin it on anyone. It is more than likely the result of fungicide applications on neighboring corn fields. This is becoming increasingly more of an issue. When is enough, enough already? Healthy soils leads to pest and disease resistance as well as standability. Corn has been engineered to the point it is almost like a tree. Crop residue doesnt break down for years. That crop residue also holds the chemicals that were applied to them so when rain falls on it, it can leach out of the plant several months after the application.