Razorback report

[cape_fisherman]

I TRANSLATE THIS AS ....DEER HUNTING.....HMMMMM

Very true, Marty. Want to hear something strange? Around home (northern Wayne County) cotton has taken over as a major row crop...like it has in many areas of NC now. Along with a ton of cotton acreage came a corresponding loss of soybean/corn acreage. After a handful of years w/o all the corn and beans around I began to notice the deer/bucks getting larger racks.

From everything I read, deer get very little nutrition from beans and especially corn. They do love to eat the stuff, but unless they have the genes to grow a big rack...well...corn just isn't gonna cut it. I know, I know. Look at the big deer in the Midwest...the CORN belt! Yes but as it's been explained to me, those deer have 'big rack' genes. Around here, in eastern NC, we all know our deer just don't get that big...not in huge numbers anyway.

Well, back to the cotton. I firmly believe that by growing cotton instead of corn and beans we subsequently 'forced' the deer back in the woods to feed on their natural browse. A lot can be said for the nutritional value of acorns...especially those from the white oak.

If you typically bypass fields of cotton, or the woods that surround them, re-visit that idea. Find a nice stand of hardwoods that has a water source and is either surrounded by or bordered by nothing but cotton. I may amaze you.

Jay


PS. Another interesting fact. Clover is popular for food plot plantings. And deer LOVE the stuff! Clover is also known to help give the deer the proper nutrition to grow big racks and give birth to healty babies (a jump start on the new generation so to speak). Have you ever plucked some food plot clover and tasted it? The stuff that I've eaten tastes just like SOYBEANS! No joke. I guess this is why they love it so dang much. The similarities in taste are unbelievable. And please...no jokes about me grazing in a field of clover......... Jay