Will Mowing Perennial Food Plots Really Increase the Quality of Deer Forage?

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Does mowing perennial food plots of clover, chicory and other perennials improve the quality of the forage available for deer? Kip Adams, NDA’s Chief Conservation Officer, explains what new research is telling us about the effects of mowing on perennial deer food plots.
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Опубликовано:

13 сен 2021

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Комментарии : 25

@philanderson3763 2 года назад

Hi Kip! Lots of truth in what you are saying BUT you are looking at a snapshot of time. If you skip the mower, the plot will soon be overtaken by the same grasses and weeds that were there before you began the project. The main reason I plant white clovers is that they tolerate short mowing a lot better than the competitors. In my case this is goldenrod, fescue grass, woody stuff, and teasel in the wet spots. Even mowing 1x per year will help. I certainly like the idea of a taller predominantly forb plot, just can't swing it in my location.

@DeerAssociation 2 года назад

Phil, Kip is addressing the belief that mowing increases the nutritional quality of clover, chicory, alfalfa or other perennials in food plots. It does not, as demonstrated by Dr. Craig Harper's research published recently in our magazine, Quality Whitetails. You can also listen to a recent episode of the Deer Season 365 podcast where we interview Mark Turner, one of Craig's graduate students. Craig and Mark explain that mowing may be useful for weed control, as you point out. But mowing just to "freshen" or "improve" the quality of the deer forage does not work. You are merely reducing the amount of biomass available to deer, as the research showed, and as Kip explained here.

@nhmountains5683 2 года назад

I agree with Phil. Most people I know mow to kill weeds before they seed out not to provide a lusher forage. The rest of the video is spot on though.

@timhatfield6367 2 года назад

Throw out that Doctor title.. And (OUR) magazine stuff.. You guys have convinced yourselves that only YOU know this information,in order to sell magazines to people that are learning,and fall for all the TV crap shows..full of commercials and products you just half to have to be successful. But your video wasn't bad..just the way your comment seemed to be like..We went to deer collage and you didn't..I'm getting ready to have my 45th bow season and I have been very successful with my longbow along with my traditional muzzle loader. So I think I've learned a few things over the years. No PHD here.

@richstafford1245 Год назад

@@DeerAssociationI think most will see the video as advice to not mow your clover plots. Disingenuous at worst and misleading at best imo

@brushcrawler8612 2 месяца назад

Im going no-mow this year and leaving the rye standing. It was only seeded about 50lb/ac and the perennials seem to benefit from the vertical support

@josephbennett4442 2 года назад

Mowing extends the root system of clover and allows it to get thicker , mowing allows the food to not get to stemmy , a deer likes young tender growth , as clover and other things mature it’s gets mostly stemmy , when it’s young and not starting to flower the stem is a lot less tough and a lot more digestible , anything that starts to mature plant wise starts getting super stemmy and a lot less palatable, I would rather mow a few times a year to keep my clover lush and extending the root system and having new tender plants for deer instead of stemmy plants , a deer will pick a less stemmy clover that is younger over a mature seeding out more stemmy clover any day

@DeerAssociation 2 года назад

The University of Tennessee study that Kip refers to in this video did not find that any of this was true. Mowing simply reduced the amount of forage available. It did not increase digestibility or attractiveness. Deer activity in mowed plots was 53% less than in unmowed study plots. A recent episode of our Deer Season 365 podcast covered this study by talking to Mark Turner. We'll also have results on our website soon.

@WildM374 2 года назад

Can you post the study? As we know, many variables affect which food source deer prefer during different times of the year. Our clover isn't being hit nearly as much now as it was a month ago, probably due to acorns (and I kept mowing minimal this year partly to see what might happen). It wasn't hit as much a month ago as it was in spring, probably due to soybeans. It wasn't hit as much in late spring as it was in March, probably due to native forbs and the fact it's the 1st thing that greens up. These studies need statistical analysis with assigned p-values to truly arrive at any specific conclusion. Otherwise they're simply interpreted observations. My observations with clover and alfalfa is they prefer a tender, younger plant in September and October. However, the benefit to keep it long comes in November and December because indeed there is more mass. Regardless, thanks for the intel and it's good debate. Hope the study took consideration for other potential variables.

@josephbennett4442 2 года назад

@@WildM374 I don’t mow anymore within 60 days of a frost , it’s just common sense a deer would rather eat something tender and young instead of eating something tough and stemmy I let my clover get tall before it gets cold due to them rather eat a mature clover plant instead of a woody tree, yes I keep it no taller then 8-10 inches or when it goes to flower out during spring through summer but once I get within 45 days or so of when we usually have a frost I quit mowing and let it get taller just because it’s more digestible then a woody sapling and etc . But when it’s actively growing once 75% of the clover blooms I mow it so I try to mow once a month or every two months depending on if deer are keeping it ate or not

@josephbennett4442 2 года назад

@@WildM374 there is one but there is multiple others on this topic also it’s mostly just common sense a deer would rather eat something young and tender and not super stemmy

@josephcioni5293 2 года назад

When I don't mow, I end up with a food plot that looks exactly like the goldenrod behind you. I feel I need to control the Mares' tail, giant ragweed and other tall forbs before they go to seed and my food plots are now gone. So, don't mow?

@DeerAssociation 2 года назад

Mowing for weed control is a different issue. You may need to do that. What Kip is addressing here is mowing an otherwise healthy, productive stand of clover/alfalfa. Don't do that. Just let it grow, and let the deer eat. Mowing doesn't improve those perennials for deer.

@derekgilson9479 2 месяца назад

Ok question, how about clovers is that good for deer ?

@randywallace 2 года назад

Is this true for clover also? Since clover does not grow as tall as chickory. I mow my clover at around 8 inches high.

@DeerAssociation 2 года назад

Yes. The scientific study mentioned in this video focused on clover and alfalfa. They found no benefit to mowing clover when it is healthy and productive.

@kurtcaramanidis5705 2 года назад

Great information. I feel better that I didn't mow my perennial plots.

@todlew3238 2 года назад

Interesting example or variety of a chicory plant. Chicory in the corner of my one perennial plot looks more like what I see advertised on all foodplot seed companies ads. Broader and much larger leaf and not viney. It's blended in with clover and alfalfa and appears quite lush along with the other perennials after the early summer mowing. This video confuses me. Smaller plots due to browse pressure really don't have to be mowed however. Deer are doing that. I use mowing to control the grasses and weeds. If you want a field of natural forbes ,which you seem to be promoting lately. Do nothing and save your money.

@DeerAssociation 2 года назад

That is actually the "bolt" of a chicory plant, or the flowering stalk. The main part of the chicory plant is leafier like you are describing. But deer still browse the leaves on the bolts.

@r4nc0r6521 2 года назад

the arguement isnt about food quality or volume... its more about taste and attractiveness of a fresh cut! any way to test that out ?

@DeerAssociation 2 года назад

Yes, the researchers also tested that by monitoring deer use of the study plots with trail-cameras, and measuring the pounds of forage removed per acre by deer (using exclusion cages). They found 53% fewer deer detections in mowed sections of the study plots compared to unmowed sections. They also estimated deer consumed 608 lbs/acre less forage in mowed sections. Mowing actually reduced the attractiveness of plots, as well as the amount of forage available.

@r4nc0r6521 2 года назад

Wow that is amazing! Im 100% sold now! Thanks for the answer and all the work you guys do for all of us

@FarmallFanatic Год назад

Stemmy chicory is useless...MOW!

@mrgary6117 Год назад

Deer don’t eat grass ? That’s bs

@DeerAssociation Год назад

They will eat some grasses, but only when better foods are unavailable. In diverse habitat with lots of native forages available, deer consume very little or no grass species.