sunflowers for deer

[Josh Anderson]

ive been thinking about planting some sunflowers in part of a plot this summer. i have heard good things about deer hammering sunflowers, im just wondering if they hit those as hard as soybeans and also if i plant sunflowers if im going to have every black bird in the county in my plot cleaning it out? all information would greatly help.

 

[sandbur]

I have seen sunflowers hit hard by deer in north central Minnesota. It would take a pretty good sized plot if it is surrounded by woods.

 

[mnjohn]

Deer love them as a small plant. Would take a good sized plot to get them to maturity. Back in the eighties when we planted hundreds of acres of them we would chase out alot of deer!

 

[Catscratch]

They eat them in a week (depending on plot size). We have never had a plot last very long once the deer decide they are ready to eat.

 

[kskid]

Planted about .5 acre plot surrounded by woods in ag area of NE KS last year. Saw some browse damage, some use as the plants matured, but nothing extraordinary. No noticeable increase in black birds but had a great dove hunt over them in Sept. I also was surprised by the "instant happy" effect they had on everybody who visited and saw them. Something about them just blows people away.

 

[bat man]

Planted in July in MN with soybeans and some peas mixed in. Good early season but first frost really slows things down.

 

[j-bird]

I planted them once in a bird mix and the deer didn't really mess with them. I live in ag country so other food being available, low deer density and the fact that the deer may not have been familiar to them may have contributed to it. My daughters loved them. It was a mix of sun flowers, sorghum, cow peas and a few others things - some BOB product if I recall properly. I planted only 1/4 acre.

 

[tooln]

They are like candy around me. Never got one to go past 6".

 

[Greta&Gus]

Good winter food source for me. They don't touch them until December and then hammer the heads.

 

[nwmn]

I think they are an absolutely cool plant to have around. Tried them two years ago and didn't see much for action until muzzleloader and they vanished in a hurry. Walking through them you can find at least 2 bees on each flower. Kind of cool to see. PLus they are very pretty in September, which makes it fun in itself to have around.