Planting Rye grain for whitetails?

[Izzy]

Anyone out there ever use it this far north? Ive never put in plots on my hunting land but have been interested for a while.I have a small one acre area in mind with good black soil and better than average moisture.It is surrounded by hemlock on one side and maple on the other.Ill be spraying and raking out the golden rod as much as I can in this area.Id like to hear if anyones had any experience with it.

                    Thanks, Izzy

[Richie Nell]

Rye is commonly used in the south, as well as rye grass.  It is attractive to deer during the winter months simply due to the fact that it is one of the few plants that are actually growing.  Nutrition is not a factor with this plant.
With that said I guess that it would grow well in NY as well but not sure.
I suggest sowing about 2 bushels of rye and then maybe 50 lbs. of ryegrass on that one acre site.  That amount is slightly heavier than normal but so what.  Then maybe fertilize it with ammonium nitrate 4-6 weeks later.
Should work well to attract deer.
Although a fertilized persimmon tree is what you really need to find in early bow season.  
But that is another book to write.

[owlbait]

Hey Izzy, used rye for a couple years here in Michigan. Grew very easy and the deer seemed to like it but there isn't much else around where we hunt. Switched to Buck Forage Oats the last 2 years and it seems even more effective. I'm sure it will do well for you. Good luck, lots of lime!

[Stone Knife]

Izzy, the dairy farms around my area use rye as a cover crop all the time in the fall. Deer use the fields but prefer other plantings to rye. Try some No Plow from Whitetail institute, that stuff makes a good fall planting.

[JAG]

Down south Alabama I use a mixture of ryegrass, oats and cowpeas.  Throw in a bit of clover and you have a fairly good full season plot.  We used rye in the mixture for cow pasture, but the deer seem to perfer plots without it.

[Izzy]

Hmmmmmmm? Now Im thinking it might not be my best bet.My reason for taking an interest to it was a fella who has been pretty successful with his plots in Orange Co., NY said its cheap and easy growing.My spot is like what Owbait mentioned, "There Isnt Much Else Around".Beech trees in a good year and occasional apples which are usually hit at night until yogi makes his rounds and cleans out all 10 or so good trees right quick.Its pretty remote country so anything new will catch their interest.Im also gonna try to buy some no-name oats or radish if I can find them.Thanks fellas.

[Jim Jackson]

Winter oats or rye will cost you about the same probably.  I've had good luck with "Bob" oats, which is an older variety of a winter oat.  Cheap, and very palatable especially early.  Throw in a pound or two of a winter legume such as winter peas or hairy vetch will give you some free nitrogen and make the plot more enticing.  You might check with some local feed stores and see what they have.  Never hurts to ask if they have a broken bag or something.

[Dick Langer]

Izzy I've tryed anumber of different plants for the last 15yrs and still experimenting. There are a number of good crops you can plant and all of us will have a different opinion.Some require more attention than others.Lime and the ph countis is important also the fertilizer count is important to specific plants. Winter rye is easy to plant and the deer like it but as owlbait mentioned buckforage oats is more effective. Clover is also very good but needs a sweet soil, lots of lime and may take a few years to get the ph count right.Experiment would be my suggestion. With 1ac you could plant different areas with different seed and see which is most attractive.I've had good luck planting buckforsge oats mixed with whitetail clover,theoats are an annual where the clover is a perenial, good for 3+ yrs, but needs to be mowed if not heavly broused.Suggestion,plant1/4ac
purple top turnips,1/4ac with some other wintergreens and the last1/2ac with clover and oats.In the spring the clover will give the protein needed for new antler growth and nursing does, all of the above can be planted this middle August.This years crop is soybean and corn with turnip, pumpkin and undecided as of yet.Good luck.

[owlbait]

Izzy, I was at a food plot seminar and the speaker talked up Buck Forage Oats and turnips especially Samson turnips. BFO ran me $25 and turnip seed is pretty cheap. They both seem to grow well with minimal work. Hit your plot with some pelletized lime and fertilizer, work it into the soil if you can then seed just before a rain. I think Aug. 20 is the target date for northern zones but I started early and my plots are doing well. Good luck, shoot a big one. Skin him with that knife!

[Bmac]

I prefer winter wheat as it gives the advantage of both a fall/early winter green plot and then greens up again in early spring when the deer need it to recover.  Mix in some brassicas for winter food and you have a great plot.  Send a pm to "The Great Jashu" on here.  He runs a wildlife habitat service and has done the research on what works.

[Bill Carlsen]

Izzy: What you want to plant is called Winter Rye. If you go to a feed store they will know what you want. It is not regular rye grass seed.  It is generally considered an annual and when it is young the deer just can't leave it alone. However, you will do best to till the soil and spread it on pretty thick. I sometimes use it in my garden and till it into the soil in the Spring as a green manure. it is very helpful in overplanting in an area where you want to diminish other types of weed growth. You will want to plant it about a month before the season opens. It germinates quickly and, as I said, in the lush young stages the deer just can't leave it alone.

[Mechslasher]

don't know if my combo will work in ny, but here in sc my favorite is abrussi rye and rape.  the rye brings them in for early and mid season hunting but after the first heavy frost, in nov., they tear into the rape.  planting peas doesn't work in my area unless you plant five or more acres.  there are 40-45 deer per sq. mile in my area and after the peas reach 6" they come in and mow them down in one night on small plots.  i'm really hoping for some good hunting this season.  i put down two tons of lime per acre on my plots back in jan.  the soil should be perfect when i start planting this month.

[Izzy]

Well, the plot is in.I cleared a little more than 1/3 acre.Woulda done more except I used a sickle and a steel rake to clear a field of golden rod, whewwwww!Im still sore as Ive been in a long while.I wound up using Throw And Grow after a recommendation from the Agway guy.The blend contains rye, clover and brassicas.Would have taken pictures but was too damn tired and had an hour and a half ride to get home.There was a lot of turkey sign in the area, more than Ive ever seen there.I was worried about them eating the seed until i got the bright idea of using my sweat soaked, red t shirt to make a quick scarecrow in the middle of the seeded area.Hopefuly it will keep them and the deer off of it for a couple weeks til it starts growing.Maybe I can even hunt the plot in nothing but a red t shirt and the animals will approach without fear.I will take pics when I get back in 2 weeks and post them to show you all the progress if any.Thanks for all the advice fellas.

                         Izzy