Alfalfa

[ozzz]

When do you guys usually see Alfalfa start to turn as far as buck use and/or deer use in general?

I have a spot just tore up with sign adjacent to an Alfalfa field. Kind of trying how much attention I should pay to it. I will probably give it a couple trys early then maybe pre rut as it kind of looks like a rut staging area, high concentration of rubs off food and not too far from good bedding.

Any experience?

[Stanley]

Alfalfa is an anytime food source. I believe right after every cutting the deer head for the cut alfalfa. I have also seen them hit it hard late season after the rut. Even in snow the deer will dig for it.

[BassBoysLLP]

Mid-October. Agree with Stan that it is still good, but I see more value hunting over corn or beans, ag wise.

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[Bucky]

After a cut deer tend to flock to it for tender new growth... it tends to heat up after the beans yellow too... clover same thing. So late Sept early Oct it can be killer

[welded34]

Ive also seen deer flock to soybeans or corn when then farmer is cutting in late September or early October. Definitely can be a killer

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[BassBoysLLP]

After a cut deer tend to flock to it for tender new growth... it tends to heat up after the beans yellow too... clover same thing. So late Sept early Oct it can be killer

In WI, the last cut generally falls in mid September. Bucky's observations are spot on.

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[ozzz]

Sounds like it warrants an opening week sit.

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[Milk Weed Seed]

Sounds like it warrants an opening week sit.

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Absoletly!
In my experience they hammer it constantly. If you have a secluded spot where they enter the field, it can be very productive early season, rut and late season. The one field I hunt has 3.5+ bucks bedding within 100 yards of it.

[ozzz]

I have many trees ready hundreds of yards into the woods closer to bedding but may take an outside in approach with it. Don't know exactly where he might be bedded so I might be better off playing it safe.

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[JoeRE]

Something that I don't think many hunters realise - deer love alfalfa new seeding (new seeding is alfalfa the first year its planted), I keep a close eye for it, deer pound the stuff through the fall after the beans yellow. Early season all deer use it and as it gets closer to the rut it is doubly attractive to bucks because of all the does using it every night.

Deer like new seeding all the way into late season (its best if its at least a few inches tall) and I think new seeding ranks up there almost as high as acorns as a preferred food source because its the only ag food source I have seen that doesn't go dead when the acorns drop, deer keep hitting it.

[Milk Weed Seed]

Something that I don't think many hunters realise - deer love alfalfa new seeding (new seeding is alfalfa the first year its planted), I keep a close eye for it, deer pound the stuff through the fall after the beans yellow. Early season all deer use it and as it gets closer to the rut it is doubly attractive to bucks because of all the does using it every night.

Deer like new seeding all the way into late season (its best if its at least a few inches tall) and I think new seeding ranks up there almost as high as acorns as a preferred food source because its the only ag food source I have seen that doesn't go dead when the acorns drop, deer keep hitting it.

X2