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Deer Hunting
State Choices
Hunt Methods
Hunter Interests |
Recognizing our traveling deer hunters and pre-trip scouting preparation we offer these agricultural land use maps to help reduce the mystery of what to expect within our agricultural region where we find our best private land deer hunting. These maps are extracted to show the regions of southern Iowa, north and west Missouri and all of Kansas where we secure private hunting land access. Pictured below is corn planted in terms of acreage and the second picture is yield per acre. The darker the color the higher the value in each case.
Corn supplies our best late into the winter waste grain crop. The map above shows where the most corn acreage will be found. The map below gives indication from year to year where more fields in corn should be expected as higher yielding acreage is more likely to be planted in corn on subsequent seasons than less productive ground. As a deer food source corn has its greatest deer attracting value from first hard frost that occurs on average in middle October with corn continuing to attract feeding deer through the end of all deer seasons.
We paired winter wheat with corn distribution maps as both are the most deer attracting food sources throughout the majority of the Kansas, Iowa and Missouri deer seasons. Our entire region plants winter, not spring wheat. Winter wheat is optimally planted in September and harvested in June. The best wheat fields in terms of deer attracting food source is 4 inches tall come hard frost (mid-October). Wheat is the only agricultural deer forage crop in our region that remains succulent throughout the winter. Pictured below are the wheat acreage top and yield below maps.
Winter wheat acreage planted map above and yield of bushel per acre below gives us a good lesson in farm economics vise environment. The least bushel per acre acre area has the most acreage in wheat due to it being the crop that will grow in these lower rainfall regions compared to corn and soybean that require more rain.
The ideal deer hunting spot would be one with three acres in wooded drainage inclusive of a year round water source, adjoining a tall warm season grass field adjoining a wheat and corn field with all isolated from direct observation from roads, farm yards and pastures. That ideal does not exist. Having as many of these element within the smaller area makes for the increased likelihood of seeing deer and narrowing down any scouting effort. The wooded drainage value is shelter by earth contour and overhead cover from wind and winter cold. Tall warm season grass field is preferred bedding. Year round water is scare in many areas and deer will drink every day. Do not count on water content of wheat grass, corn or morning dew to meet deer hydration requirements. Wheat and corn supply winter feed variety. |
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