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Beans??

at1010

*Supporting Member*
4,944
139
So you guys who plant beans for deer.

When do you normally get them in the ground?
Do you mix peas with them?
Do you use Real World or Eagle Beans or just AG/RR?


Just a few questions I am playing with in my head.

Thanks for reading!
 

Milo

Tatonka guide.
8,184
157
Go to a farmer and ask him is he has any beans left over that are RR and keep your yap closed and get a good deal. :)
 

jagermeister

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
18,060
223
Ohio
You don't need eagle beans. Just regular RR beans will work.
Yes regular ag RR beans will work, but I've planted them and eagle side by side and the difference in forage tonnage is remarkable. If you don't wanna spend the extra dough on eagle I can understand that. The eagle beans are far superior though.
 

motorbreaker

*Supporting Member I*
1,542
63
North of Toledo
Yes regular ag RR beans will work, but I've planted them and eagle side by side and the difference in forage tonnage is remarkable. If you don't wanna spend the extra dough on eagle I can understand that. The eagle beans are far superior though.

Forage yes. But what about bushel per acre for late season food source?
 

Fullbore

Senior Member
6,439
126
South Eastern Ohio
The year I planted RR beans, I drilled in a bag of Lab Lab. It's kinda like a peas vine that climbs up your bean plants. The deer loved it! Just a thought Albert.
 

jagermeister

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
18,060
223
Ohio
Forage yes. But what about bushel per acre for late season food source?
I can't say with 100% surety, as I haven't actually measured the yield... But based solely on my visual observations, I'd say the Eagle beans wins in that department as well. The ones I've been planting are the Eagle Midwest Manager's Mix RR. There are 3 or 4 varieties of beans in this mix... Forage-heavy, bean-heavy, and a climbing variety too. Not only is there more food, but they grow much taller than ag beans and provide way more cover. As we all know, cover is just as if not more important than what you're planting. Deer feel safe in these beans because they practically disappear once they get into them.
 

at1010

*Supporting Member*
4,944
139
I can't say with 100% surety, as I haven't actually measured the yield... But based solely on my visual observations, I'd say the Eagle beans wins in that department as well. The ones I've been planting are the Eagle Midwest Manager's Mix RR. There are 3 or 4 varieties of beans in this mix... Forage-heavy, bean-heavy, and a climbing variety too. Not only is there more food, but they grow much taller than ag beans and provide way more cover. As we all know, cover is just as if not more important than what you're planting. Deer feel safe in these beans because they practically disappear once they get into them.

Where do you get them. I'm curious on price.
 

Milo

Tatonka guide.
8,184
157
Before you all go dry humping eagle beans, i would ask yourself a few questions like how much land or tonnage do you need or have? you may not even need extra tonnage if you have enough land to plant. I would step into eagle beans after you are convinced that you need more tonnage. we have always had plenty with just regular beans. you may be throwing money away for nothing. you can buy a bag of beans from a farmer for about 20 a bag. thats enough to plant a half acre for us. i would also look a how your planting these beans. if you have a drill your bean sprouting success will be higher than broadcasting generally.
 

jagermeister

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
18,060
223
Ohio
Milo's right... It's all about what you need not what you necessarily want. Land availability is a good point. Most guys don't have the space let alone the equipment to plant 2 or 3 acres of beans. So if you have limited space it would make sense to plant a product that provides more forage per acre. Nobody NEEDS to spend $90 per bag for soybeans but if you want to plant eagle that's what it will cost you. The deer will eat ag beans just fine. All I'm saying is, comparing the two side by side, eagle beans are a superior product. Why is OK to shoot a new $1200 Hoyt when an old hand-me-down will kill em just as dead... But planting expensive soybeans instead of ag beans is senseless?
 

Fullbore

Senior Member
6,439
126
South Eastern Ohio
Milo's right... It's all about what you need not what you necessarily want. Land availability is a good point. Most guys don't have the space let alone the equipment to plant 2 or 3 acres of beans. So if you have limited space it would make sense to plant a product that provides more forage per acre. Nobody NEEDS to spend $90 per bag for soybeans but if you want to plant eagle that's what it will cost you. The deer will eat ag beans just fine. All I'm saying is, comparing the two side by side, eagle beans are a superior product. Why is OK to shoot a new $1200 Hoyt when an old hand-me-down will kill em just as dead... But planting expensive soybeans instead of ag beans is senseless?
How true Jim! Very good points by you and Milo!
 

JBSedon

Junior Member
61
0
Vandalia
I think the deciding the deciding factors need to include the answers to some other questions as well.

Are there other ag fields or farms in the relative area? If they have bean fields, then putting in your own beans may not produce the results you want. Why would they come to yours instead of the likely large acre fields nearby? On the other hand, if they have a steady diet of beans from other fields every year, if your spot offers easy access and seclusion, they may prefer yours?

As was previously mentioned, the amount of yield may make a difference as well. A couple of acres of beans don't go far, especially if it becomes the primary food source for any amount of time. Something like you mentioned, such as peas used a filler, could be a good option. Maybe another option could be to plant the beans, and then later in the year, overseed with another product.

Will you need to fertilize the soil for beans? Do you plan to spray for bugs/weeds?

I'm nowhere near qualified to offer advice on plots and crops, just perhaps another view. I'm fortunate to live in an area where the ONLY food source last year for a rather large herd of deer was a bean field beside my house, so I was able to observe first hand how they treated it. I learned a bit about the feeding habits and what factors affected the deer coming in to it. These beans were just ordinary ag beans planted as a sacrificial cover, so they remained standing throughout the year. The deer didn't seem to mind!
 

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
6,551
66
SW Ohio
Now I seem to be on the other side in this discussion.
Why plant what everyone else plants? If you plant the same bean why would the deer come to your bean patch rather than going to the other same type of bean patch? I feel some different needs to be offered to draw the deer to you area.
Point in being my adjoining neighbor has planted 110 acs. of horse hay so why would I plant hay to draw deer to my farm. I need a drawing crop that is better tasting to the deer to draw them. over here.
Isn't wildlife beans been developed to be more edible for deer? Doesn't the wildlife bean types pods stay together better so the beans doesn't drop out during cold weather?

I have the idea I can only plant once per year so try to get it as right as I can. Otherwise I have to wait another year to try again.
So what if it cost couple dollars more buying the best? I save that couple dollars somewhere else in my life style so I figure I'm further ahead having the best.

I already know this doesn't fit into everyone's thinking on the subject and I respect that. I'm far from a expert but things do seem to working for me in my food plot plantings the last 2 yrs.
 
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