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Hazelton, Kansas | All,
I have a couple of observations and questions about deer damage to soybeans.
1. The plant in the picture below grows next to a deer "path" through the field. In spite of being seriously grazed, it is loaded with beans. I didn't count pods, but I suspect it has 50% more pods than the average ungrazed plant in the field. Of course, it benefits from an "edge effect," but I still find it remarkable that these few leaves can fill that many pods. I've seen this before, so I'm about to convince myself that deer grazing on bean foliage is a non-problem. Does this indicate a potential for yield improvement by breeding or growth regulators?
2. Deer bed down in this field in large numbers. We kicked over 30 of them off this half section last time we sprayed, and based on how tight they sat, I'll bet we sprayed over a few more. In the past, as the field matured and dropped leaves, they started eating the pods. We lost at least 15 acres last time we grew beans here, so unlike the foliage, this IS a problem. I have a well-used "bean field rifle," but would listen to any other ideas the NAT brain trust can offer.
Regards,
MDS
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Deer damage to soybeans?
