hello i am located in central oklahoma. i am getting a 2 acre pond filled in so i can expand my deer pens the work is being done this week. my question is what would be the best thing for me to plant being as i will have a lot of dirt and would like to keep it from washing out and would like to give my deer good nutrition. i would like what ever i plant to beable to stay during the winter months as well so the pen does not turn into a mud pen and was wondering what everone else is using and how it works for them thanks
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Joined Oct 2009
147 Posts | 0+
Dallas,Pa
Around here the only thing that would work to stop pens from becoming mud pens is concrete.lol But I dont think deer get to much nutrition from it. lol
Joined Apr 2009
921 Posts | 0+
Tobin Lake, Saskatchewan
how many deer in the pen? I like the idea of planting corse grass that deer would choose not to in high traffic areas and bedding areas and soft grass, alfalfa or other legumes for them to browse. when you need have enough good hay and feed for you deer to keep them from browsing the pen to dirt, but 15 deer in a 2 acre pen for the 5-6 month growing season there will not be too much left.
Currently i only have 4 bred does but i am looking build my herd soon. I was wondering if there was a certain plot mixture people were using in the south where i would not have to replant summer and winter plots in my pens. I will have a total of about 3 to 3.5 acres fenced once the pond is filled in and i get a chance to fence off
Joined Apr 2009
3,353 Posts | 0+
Fombell PA
Trigger, my pens are alph aplha and clover and they seem to hold up pretty well......the deer seem to do good on them also. I will replant them probably every five years or so......or once they look as thaough they need it.
I have Whitetail Institute Imperial Whitetail clover planted in 2 of my pens. Both
pens are a 1 and a half acres. I had 15 bucks in 1 pen all spring summer,and fall. I had to mow pens 5 times. The deer love it. Clover is drought and heat tolerant.
I also have 1 pen I seeded to chicory, This is also drought and heat tolerant, it
requires more mowing as it grows, into a stalk if not mowed, the deer love the new growth, but the older taller stuff they won't eat. Chicory also has up to 44% protein in the new growth stage. I also have read in their quarterly magazine it is a natural wormer. Chicory is from the dandelion family. The chicory don't come back as good as the clover. I am going to reseed 4 pens this spring with their imperial plus which is a mixture of white clover and chicory.
You can get info at www.whitetailinstitute.com
pens are a 1 and a half acres. I had 15 bucks in 1 pen all spring summer,and fall. I had to mow pens 5 times. The deer love it. Clover is drought and heat tolerant.
I also have 1 pen I seeded to chicory, This is also drought and heat tolerant, it
requires more mowing as it grows, into a stalk if not mowed, the deer love the new growth, but the older taller stuff they won't eat. Chicory also has up to 44% protein in the new growth stage. I also have read in their quarterly magazine it is a natural wormer. Chicory is from the dandelion family. The chicory don't come back as good as the clover. I am going to reseed 4 pens this spring with their imperial plus which is a mixture of white clover and chicory.
You can get info at www.whitetailinstitute.com
Joined Dec 2009
44 Posts | 0+
Henryetta,OK
It depends on how goo your soil is! Some of us in OK are not blessed with good soil! Remember the grapes of wrath and the dust bowl? I have some of my soil that will only grow bermuda grass, it is great for cover and really tough, but deer dont really eat it. It spreads and covers and holds the soil. The soil where I live wont grow Alfalfa, but it will grow fescue, rye, wheat and some clovers. I would put Bermuda where yo uare worried about washing and not caring about grazing.
Joined Apr 2009
3,353 Posts | 0+
Fombell PA
Brandon that is a pretty cool design you came up with for your farm! After hearing what you had to say above i know how you came up with your Farm name now.....LOL