As a "hunter," I have found my passion to be more in the raising of a healthy herd of
deer. A small but pivotal role is in harvesting and culling, but the most important is providing a healthy habitat with plenty of nutrition all year long. All too often I see deer hunters who only think about what a deer eats during the hunting season; and many of these guys are only feeding them with baiting stations!
That being said, I would like to design a few guilds centered around deer resistant and
native varieties. I am in Zone 8a, in the sandhills of South Carolina, for reference.
Some of the
fruit bearing trees/shrubs/vines I already have growing "wild" on the
land are: Korean (Sawtooth) Oak, white oak, live oak, crab-apple, persimmon, pear, wild plum, figs, peaches, muscadine grape, and blackberries.
I feel like many of these are already good fits, they just need some organization and encouragement!
That being said, I really am lost on the ground layer. We plant food plots annually with a good mix of things including: peas, turnips, radishes, oats, and clover.
I know clover can become
perennial, and provides good nutrition, but what other ground covers could be used in my area?
Any input into this process would be greatly appreciated!
I would like all the plants I include(besides maybe the ground layer) to be deer resistant yet still provide edible fruits, if that makes sense.