[Farflung]

Has anyone had both Buck Forage Oats and other oats (or other cereal grains) planted side by side? Does the Buck Forage Oats really live up to its advertising? The seed is relatively expensive. I have one more plot to do (about a acre) and am thinking of putting some of it in BFO. Its kind of late, but this is a area with good pH and fertility so I thought I might try a little. Somewhat worried that it appears to have been developed in Louisiana. Needs to hold up to some frosts (I'm in Northern NY).

Also, any luck with buckwheat? I tried some years ago and while it grows well, the deer did not seem to anxious to feed on it. Any differnt experiewnces?

 

[Barneyhunts]

Last year I planted Buck Forage oats the last week in September. They grew to about 3"-4" by the start of our rifle season (end of Nov.) at which time they froze. This spring they started growing again and produced seed heads B4 I mowed them and plowed them under. Pretty hardy, but I never saw a lot of deer activity in that plot. I've never planted different varieties side by side, but if you pose that question on the QDMA forum I'm sure you'll get some answers from folks who have.

 

[archeryman32]

From my experience, I've had poor luck with both oats and buckweat. I plant my plot last year with the biologic oats mixture. It grew beautiful and I thought for sure it would draw/feed some deer. I cant honestly say they hardly, if at all, ate any of it.

This year, I planted the biologic biomass mixture. They are crushing it. It's all about finding what the deer like and dont like. Might take a few years, but you'll end up with the right mixture.

These plots are in Potter County. Hope this helps a little.

 

[angus]

I have never tried the Buck Forage oats. I plant regular old oats that you get from a supply store. I plant it with a mixture of other crops on our property. The oats feed other animals other than deer. I would not plant oats if all I wanted was to bring deer in to shoot for hunting season. Deer do eat the tender greens of oats during the winter until the oats go dormant. If planted early enough, the oat grain will feed birds through the winter. Deer are a browsing animal. You can find and plant their favorite food and they will still only eat a portion of it or pass it by all together if it does not meet their nutritional requirements.

 

[Farflung]

thx for the replys. Any more thoughts on Buckwheat. I can grow it easily, but it does not seem to be a deer magnet

 

[pahoytman]

Here's a pic of my buckwheat plot from last year. View the seclusion cage and you can see that the deer really hammered it. May be different in different locations here on the East Coast, but plant in my area and they will come. Keep in mind, once the frost hits it, it's done. I mix brassicas in with the buckwheat for after the frost hits.

I was a week later getting it in this year, just put the seclusion cage up this week. I expect the same results.

I mix different stuff together at times, maybe you can do a combination of buckwheat and oats. Last year I throwed in some clover and got some good stands that I just mowed this year and did not til under.

 

[Newport-Bill]

I planted buckwheat the past few years and they ignored it until Sept 1 then mowed it to the ground.