wheat fields!?

[Czabs]

I have been seeing a lot of wheat fields this year and I'm concerned. Do deer even eat wheat? glassing and shining this year in a lot of my spots sucks this year. This is what I'm dealing with...

[kenn1320]

For awhile I was seeing more deer in wheat then in the beans. You cant see their backs, just part of their neck and head (at least here in Mi.). Don't sweat it, they will be picking it soon, if they haven't started already. Its coming down fast here.

[Czabs]

Do they eat the wheat? When they cut it do they eat it? A lot of my hunting depends on if they are going to these fields I might have to start looking for some new spots!

[kenn1320]

I saw some deer in a cut one the other day, but not sure what is left to eat after they harvest it. I suspect they are eating the tender growth of weeds that are starting to emerge now that sunlight is allowed to hit the ground. Unless your goose hunting, a picked wheat field in my opinion is not a draw for deer.
Thats a huge field, what state is that in?

[Czabs]

thats a picture I got off photobucket to make sure the fields I was seeing are wheat fields. I might be screwed then.

[GRFox]

We don't have any wheat fields or any agriculture for that matter. The deer typically feed in and open field available and if they're isn't any fields around they are in power lines or swamps eating skunk cabbage and all the green up in there.

For some reason like you mentioned this year has been horrible for seeing bucks during that last half hour of light. Last year we were watching a ton of different bucks and bachelor groups. Hitting the same fields night after night.

Not sure wheat is so different this year but its frustrating. Being that we don't have agriculture and the deer eat weeds all summer around here I couldn't see your deer not eating wheat if it was around, the carbohydrate content would be through the roof I would imagine, but im the last person to take advice from on hunting farmland haha.

Good luck.

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[Black Squirrel]

There usually is a fair amount of waste, however I don't believe they eat the grain. But those seeds will sprout under most conditions. I have seen them eat the regrowth of the tender young wheat plants, especially if it's the only food source around. You should be ok.

[Zap]

They sure like green wheat in the fall.

[JRM6868]

I've never seen the deer touch the mature stuff. They will eat the green weeds and reseed shoots as they come up.

[Czabs]

All the wheat fields I have seen have been mature and look like they should be cut. No greens. I'm hoping they cut them soon and so it gives the chance of other young wheat plants and weeds a chance to grow for them to feed on. Pretty much sucks because last year it was all beans and there were deer everywhere. Talk about a change for the worse

[Southern Man]

Here they cut the wheat and come right back with soybeans. Wheat is normally planted in the fall and cut in early summer. It's a winter crop. Deer like it in the fall / winter as green forage. I've never seen them eat the brown / mature plant, especially the grain.

[JRM6868]

Here they cut the wheat and come right back with soybeans. Wheat is normally planted in the fall and cut in early summer. It's a winter crop. Deer like it in the fall / winter as green forage. I've never seen them eat the brown / mature plant, especially the grain.

They two cropped my fields this year with beans about three weeks ago. If he still has the wheat standing I'd say it's too late for the two crop for him.

Like you said good fall winter forage.

[Southern Man]

Here they cut the wheat and come right back with soybeans. Wheat is normally planted in the fall and cut in early summer. It's a winter crop. Deer like it in the fall / winter as green forage. I've never seen them eat the brown / mature plant, especially the grain.

They two cropped my fields this year with beans about three weeks ago. If he still has the wheat standing I'd say it's too late for the two crop for him.

Like you said good fall winter forage.

Yep, standard crop rotation. Corn, winter wheat, soybeans, then fallow in winter and start over again. Yea all the wheat here is long gone. I can't imagine planting beans now. They'd burn up here. we're about to burn up anyway

[Black Squirrel]

Most WI wheat has yet to be harvested. By the time its harvested up here, they don't have alot of growing season left to double crop. Sometimes some farmers will come back with alfalfa after wheat.

[Czabs]

so all in all wheat sucks.