There is a 2000 acre ranch that surrounds me with a varity of cover and grazing pastures. Thers is 3 tanks on that property and the Cow Hpouse Creek, so water is semi plentiful. The pastures and fields are about like mine open with periodic brushy areas.

What is the deer density like for the area? I would enlist the help of your county extension agent or the local NRSC agent. What county?

We got our planting information from the AG Extention and Feed Store. We tried many different times and seeds. I guess we will try the April time frame to see what grows.

Coryell, County, deer density- not sure, but we are aloud 2 Antlered and 3 Antlerless deer, with an extended season till 20 Jan 13.

You need to find your average last frost date for planting. Also try to plant with ground temps are at 65 or above. If you do not have that many deer then I would not plant all the acreage you are planting. A well planted 10 acre plot can support 30 deer are so. 2-10 acre plots 50 or more deer with average rainfall. NRSC at one time had a wildlife management person to help out. If you are in the counties for that the San Angelo NRSC office covers that is who I would call.

I would think that if you planted in March that your plots frosted or froze out. If you planted in August it was still to hot. If there are not that many deer to draw in then you can plant 100's of acres successfully and still not have any deer.

The rule of thumb from the old farmers is to plant around Easter. We also have a few 13 cows, and the fields are sub divided into about 60 to 80 acre fields. We try to rotate them about every month to control the grazing.

If you are planting for deer then I would fence the cattle off them. Plant spring/fall grazing for cattle only in areas for them. Keep them off your deer plots. Deer plots are expensive enough to plant and grow to just let cattle graze them.

We did that last year, I fenced about 3-5 acre plots, totally fenced, and still no luck. I just may be planting too early!

Are there any recomondations for spring planting?

Edwards County is known for it's rock growing abilities. I have never been able to get anything to grow out there.

If you planted in March I would say yes. I have a friend in McCulloch County that had snow once in early May. Freezes are common in April for him. So I would think that is your problem. Fall plantings still need to be in Sept or later also.

Did you put a small cage in each feild? The deer maybe whiping them out before the get established where the can handle grazing pressure

Sorry marijuanna is out of the question! We tried ti plant when we saw other farmers plant. Good point, I will need to adjust my planting times.

You would think with 140 acres of food plots it would be more than enough for deer.

Small cage in each feild? No, please explain. With the amount of acerage I planted there would need to be thousands of deer.

It appears that most of the seeds that we plant do not grerminate.

Google exclusion cages for food plots.

How deep or shallow are you planting?

I think we are planting about 1 inch.

just googled exclusion cages, I will have to try that this year.

X2. Between planting depth and early grazing you might of just figured out the issue.

I have never been much of a gambler, that is till i started planting food plots for deer, but i still do it rain or shine. Cover your non-legume seed deep. In my area i come back on top with legumes (white clover in low lying area and red clover on drier high ground)and lightly cover and my spring food plots are planted the same day as my fall and hope for the best, thats all you can do.

Thanks ya'll, Great conversation. I will need to get with the AG Extention and Feed Store for more recomondations. I will have to let everyone know in Spring how it goes. We are always open for sudgestions. Please keep them coming.

pray for rain