What's going to happen to deer in agricultural areas?

[BenA]

I saw a publication recently about testing preference of genetically modified soybeans to deter deer browsing. Scientists keep closing in on making soybeans less palatable to deer because of the damage they do. I don't think it's a matter of if, but when. The nutrition offered by soybeans in some areas is a major factor in getting deer to express their genetic potential. It's why we see some of the largest bucks in high ag areas. When those deer no longer get to eat that food that helps them get to what they are, they will have to rely on other plants during that time of needed nutrition. The same numbers of deer will not be able to be supported due to less available food during part of the year. It will affect the carrying capacity. So, less numbers of deer equals less number of bucks. It's a long way out, and not a situation I expect to see in my lifetime. But, it makes me wonder what the deer world will look like in 50 years if the nation's breadbasket is made off limits to deer. It also makes me realize how important creating optimal habitat is to them.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

Interesting. So it’s not likely soon? If so I won’t stress it but on my land i would tell the farmer if you want to lease ground from me we are going to use deer beans. If you don’t want to, someone else will

 

[Brian662]

This is something that I've wondered for a while but more in regards to wooded understories dominated by non-native invasive species like buckthorn, bush honeysuckle, autumn olive, etc. The deer will nibble but don't prefer to eat these nasty invasives that seem to be prevelant everywhere.

Will they evolve to start eating the woody browse these species offer or will they migrate to areas without them?

Also, fwiw, most of the deer at my WI place have an abundance of alfalfa that they seem to prefer to snack on in the summer time, however when I do plant beans, they don't last long. I have considered using beans in the summer and plowing them down in August to plant fall blends to set the table for hunting season.

 

[T-Max]

I live in Central Kansas. When I grew up, we had bigger bucks than we do now. I say bigger with a couple of caveats: 1. I am relying on memory, 2. It is obviously anecdotal, 3. overall average meaning I remember bucks generally being bigger. I bring that up because soybeans were not as prevalent as they are now. There was obviously corn and milo had a big presence. The thing we had then that we don't have much of now is winter wheat. There was a LOT of winter wheat planted here decades ago and it is not used nearly to the extent it once was. I think it is possible to raise big bucks without large blocks of soybeans if we look back at the conditions present previously and fill that gap with something else. Plus we can always find something like Eagle beans or others on a smaller scale.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

I live in Central Kansas. When I grew up, we had bigger bucks than we do now. I say bigger with a couple of caveats: 1. I am relying on memory, 2. It is obviously anecdotal, 3. overall average meaning I remember bucks generally being bigger. I bring that up because soybeans were not as prevalent as they are now. There was obviously corn and milo had a big presence. The thing we had then that we don't have much of now is winter wheat. There was a LOT of winter wheat planted here decades ago and it is not used nearly to the extent it once was. I think it is possible to raise big bucks without large blocks of soybeans if we look back at the conditions present previously and fill that gap with something else. Plus we can always find something like Eagle beans or others on a smaller scale.

That can also be due to pressure maybe?
But regardless you are correct. Alberta, eastern Mt, North Dakota, aren’t growing beans and they do just fine
I’d actually rather have alfalfa on my ground than beans. Longer food source for deer and just as nutritious

 

[Catscratch]

Local ranchers have taken to aerial spraying all broadleafs in pastures. Trees, forbs, weeds, etc... all taken out of the ecosystem for thousands and thousands of acres. I think it's substantial to everything from insects to birds to mammals. If ag becomes deserts for critters then it will hurt also. Just like CA and their wildfires that they never do anything to prevent, we can be our own worst enemies.

 

[T-Max]

That can also be due to pressure maybe?
But regardless you are correct. Alberta, eastern Mt, North Dakota, aren’t growing beans and they do just fine
I’d actually rather have alfalfa on my ground than beans. Longer food source for deer and just as nutritious

If we think about when beans are providing their maximum benefit, it coincides with the maximum productivity of the native landscape. I guess why I mentioned winter wheat is it bridges the gap during the winter months of low food availability here. They pick crop fields so clean now days. It has to happen with something else. I left 3.5 acres of standing corn this year and I have 40+ deer in it every night. Everyone else let their feeders dry up and the crop fields are bare. I think this is the time when you start growing the bigger racks for next year.

 

[Catscratch]

I live in Central Kansas. When I grew up, we had bigger bucks than we do now. I say bigger with a couple of caveats: 1. I am relying on memory, 2. It is obviously anecdotal, 3. overall average meaning I remember bucks generally being bigger. I bring that up because soybeans were not as prevalent as they are now. There was obviously corn and milo had a big presence. The thing we had then that we don't have much of now is winter wheat. There was a LOT of winter wheat planted here decades ago and it is not used nearly to the extent it once was. I think it is possible to raise big bucks without large blocks of soybeans if we look back at the conditions present previously and fill that gap with something else. Plus we can always find something like Eagle beans or others on a smaller scale.

South Central KS... and I'd say the same about bigger bucks "back then" was better. Interesting about wheat. We have plenty of it. The crop that I've seen almost disappear that was common back then is milo. I think the lack of milo has affect the quail populations. Personally I blame the shift of bigger bucks a problem with legislation rather than habitat.

 

[T-Max]

Local ranchers have taken to aerial spraying all broadleafs in pastures. Trees, forbs, weeds, etc... all taken out of the ecosystem for thousands and thousands of acres. I think it's substantial to everything from insects to birds to mammals. If ag becomes deserts for critters then it will hurt also. Just like CA and their wildfires that they never do anything to prevent, we can be our own worst enemies.

You described my dad. His 4 wheeler and spray tank of 2-4D wreak more havoc on our place as the outfitter next door sometimes I think. Our pasture is a desert...

 

[T-Max]

South Central KS... and I'd say the same about bigger bucks "back then" was better. Interesting about wheat. We have plenty of it. The crop that I've seen almost disappear that was common back then is milo. I think the lack of milo has affect the quail populations. Personally I blame the shift of bigger bucks a problem with legislation rather than habitat.

I have 2 goals this year. Focus on making my NWSG buffer strips a success, and planting my new field to 2 acres of milo. If I never touch a chainsaw or anything else, I need those to happen.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

If we think about when beans are providing their maximum benefit, it coincides with the maximum productivity of the native landscape. I guess why I mentioned winter wheat is it bridges the gap during the winter months of low food availability here. They pick crop fields so clean now days. It has to happen with something else. I left 3.5 acres of standing corn this year and I have 40+ deer in it every night. Everyone else let their feeders dry up and the crop fields are bare. I think this is the time when you start growing the bigger racks for next year.

For sure. I love winter wheat. I have 60 acres of it right now and the biggest deer I have were walking out in the middle of the afternoon last time I was there to eat. With that said what is the reason its use has been going down? Your point in feeders being empty right now is a good one. It actually goes in the win column for why food plots are not the same as bait. 99% of feeders are empty the second someone’s season ends.
But on a macro scale, deer not being able to utilize beans would definitely be a net negative to the overall herd in term of both carrying capacity and antler size.
I wonder what percentage of row crop ground is leased by a farmer but owned by a hunter? Landowners have say in their ground.

 

[Bill]

Interesting. So it’s not likely soon? If so I won’t stress it but on my land i would tell the farmer if you want to lease ground from me we are going to use deer beans. If you don’t want to, someone else will

I'm no biologist but I think eventually all beans would become "deer free beans". Planters of round up ready alfalfa sign a contract saying they will cut it before the flower stage. That's to help prevent cross pollination. You can't cut beans before the flower stage so eventually cross pollination would make all beans deer free.

 

[T-Max]

For sure. I love winter wheat. I have 60 acres of it right now and the biggest deer I have were walking out in the middle of the afternoon last time I was there to eat. With that said what is the reason its use has been going down? Your point in feeders being empty right now is a good one. It actually goes in the win column for why food plots are not the same as bait. 99% of feeders are empty the second someone’s season ends.
But on a macro scale, deer not being able to utilize beans would definitely be a net negative to the overall herd in term of both carrying capacity and antler size.
I wonder what percentage of row crop ground is leased by a farmer but owned by a hunter? Landowners have say in their ground.

The main reason is the timing of wheat harvest and getting corn and beans in the ground. Corn goes in a month and a half before wheat harvest and double crop beans don't yield as well as full season. With wheat prices being so low, the only wheat we see now has cattle grazing it all winter.

 

[Catscratch]

I have an interesting observation. Might be something to it, or might not. A new farmer took over the neighboring fields about 3yrs ago. He is outstanding at his job. When I've talked about fertilizer or yields he sometimes mentions micronutrients such as boron and manganese. We are seeing more bigger bucks, and our young bucks seem to have more points. This year was the first time I've noticed more young 10's than I did young 8's. I suspect that his attention to detail is paying off for my hunting. I hope the trend continues!

 

[Tree Spud]

If beans or other grain crops are developed to have some deer resistance, then the deer will start to put a lot more pressure on available browse or they may move to find other food sources.

Heavy browse pressure can wipe out preferable browse species.

There may also be a trade off for farmers. If all beans planted can be harvested with little or no browse losses, increasing output in production, will the bean market become saturated thus dropping prices?

 

[Nimrod]

About 6 years ago I spoke with a Rep from a sugar company, they supplied beet sugar (as opposed to cane sugar produced from sugarcane like C&H and Domino). The Rep said they were starting to move away from GMO/Round-up Ready seed and moving back to the traditional sugar beet seed, due to the whole GMO/Round-up Ready issue. But were having a big problem finding the traditional sugar beet seed and it would take years for the traditional seed to be available in large quantities again. One might assumed that this change may be taking place in other agricultural seeds, but we all know what you get when you “assume”…. Maybe for the health of the deer, not consuming the RR soybeans may be a benefit???

 

[Mortenson]

Are we to assume the OP is talking about the soybean plant vegetation being less palatable to deer? That is when the bulk of the damage is done, from the time the bean plant emerges, all through the green growing season. It doesn't make any sense that the bean itself wouldn't be tolerated by a deer, once it's mature, at least in my mind. This could be an opportunity for hunters and plotters. Can you imagine finally being able to put in some 1-5 acre bean plots that the deer would leave alone til winter? In summer, in ag country, there's plenty to eat. Hay fields, volunteer clover everywhere, cornfields everywhere, bean fields a little further out that won't be planted to deer-proof beans, and despite what I always hear on the forums, we actually do still have weeds everywhere also, lol.

 

[Brian662]

Are we to assume the OP is talking about the soybean plant vegetation being less palatable to deer? That is when the bulk of the damage is done, from the time the bean plant emerges, all through the green growing season. It doesn't make any sense that the bean itself wouldn't be tolerated by a deer, once it's mature, at least in my mind. This could be an opportunity for hunters and plotters. Can you imagine finally being able to put in some 1-5 acre bean plots that the deer would leave alone til winter? In summer, in ag country, there's plenty to eat. Hay fields, volunteer clover everywhere, cornfields everywhere, bean fields a little further out that won't be planted to deer-proof beans, and despite what I always hear on the forums, we actually do still have weeds everywhere also, lol.

Isn't the browse on the soybean plant itself supposed to be higher in protein or nearly as high as the actual bean? I think the OP is referring to the lack of potential antler growth if the deer don't eat soybean plants during the summer antler growing months.

All this to say that I agree with you on the over abundance of food in the upper Midwest during the summer growing months. Even in drought years the weeds still grow on fence lines and leaves are still available on the woody plants.

 

[Mortenson]

If all that's at stake is a small percentage of antler growth, then this doesn't crack my top 10,000 list of concerns. They'll still grow nice and big. I bet they'd still eat them also. Maybe just not quite as preferred. Deer adjust.

 

[BenA]

What I'm getting at is what would happen if agricultural crops like soybeans would be made as palatable to deer as leather. Deer do depredate crops and people are trying to find out a way to make those crops unavailable to deer in a way that is not cost prohibitive. What if the crop fields were essentially turned to concrete from a deer perspective. This question is asked at a macro level like a state or region. It would take a LOT of highly preferred and nutritious food off the table.