The quest for the ultimate polyculture guilds for whitetailed deer. Help!

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.

For best nutrition you need to add plants that provide protein and many more minerals like calcium, magnesium, manganese, iron, silica etc.

I have lots of fruit trees (and vines) available to deer along with grasses (no fescue for deer) such as Bermuda, Zoysia, Sedges and I use crimson clover too.
Then I have the root vegetables (greens and roots for the deer since I've seen them dig up roots) which are rape, turnip, daikon radish, mustard and collard greens.
For higher protein I provide soybeans, field peas, winter squashes and pumpkins.  I plant these in "feed Plots" about 1/4 acre each and each plot contains all the above.
I don't plant corn for deer simply because it doesn't grow well on my steep terrain.

Each plot also has a Mineral block (not a salt block), these red beauties don't last but about 3 months before they have been eaten up, what leaks off in rains goes into the soil and the deer will dig that up and eat the dirt containing the minerals.
Our Stags have increased their antler size now that they can find every nutrient they need. The Does are doing a lot better too and they will bring their fawns to the plots for a feast.

Redhawk

here is a website that sells fruit trees for wildlife.  
https://www.wildlifegroup.com/
While you are adding guilds you can look at different trees that can do well without human maintenance.

When someone asks me what trees are "deer resistant" I usually say "The ones over 7 feet tall with a protector tube for 4' of the base to prevent horn rubbing!"

Apples seem to be very popular with the deer , and chestnuts are even higher on the list!  On the ground, turnips seem best for me: The deer leave them alone in the growing season and then munch the greens when other things fade out.  Since the turnip has a big bulb for energy, it goes far into winter popping out leaves..

So this will be controversial in some parts but deer seem to love the callery pear in my pasture. They are a nuisance if let to spread unchecked, ie, become invasive on long fallow land, but they check all your boxes.

It sounds like you have a pretty good setup and I really like what you're doing. I am doing something very similar in idaho on my property.

As far as groundcovers I would recommend planting a diverse mix of palatable perennial forbs, in what I would call a "wild game meadow". This will over time be invaded by some undesirable weeds and eventually transition to a forest if left undisturbed, but it will last much longer than a typical food plot. I would recommend looking at both warm and cool season perennials that do well in your area and I would use both natives as well as useful nonnatives.  Some plants that might do well for you are Sainfoin, Alfalfa, American vetch, Chickory, Jerusalem Artichokes,  Goldenrods, Perennial Sowthistle, Bush Clovers, Prairie Clovers, Milkvetches and Asters.

I have a blog that talks about this and some other similar topics if you're Interested. https://hunterseden.blogspot.com/2019/05/forget-food-plots-create-wild-game.html?m=1

Great suggestions, most I have used with excellent results, Some new ones listed in this thread I'll add to mine. Ones that were not listed I have used with success here in northern Michigan are: buckwheat, winter rye, hairy vetch, kenaf, hazelnuts, pears, manna oak, and Siberian pea shrub. Although I have just started 2 years ago, the deer coming by are spending an hour or so browsing instead of the 5 minutes before.

Hamilton Betchman wrote: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 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.

Hamilton, you are in the same zone as I am 8a, which makes me want to know how this turned out for you?

And, yes, I fully understand wanting deer-resistant plants with fruit that they can eat.

I just can't think of any unless that might be roses and other thorny plants. These plants are thorny and the deer eat the fruit or flowers and not the plants:

Prickly pear is very deer resistant and the deer love the tunas, the fruit. They love Agerita berries and yucca flowers.

You might enjoy this thread:

https://permies.com/t/59402/drought-resistant-perennials-deer-love

Water

While you question was about planting food for the deer, your ultimate goal, as you mention, is a healthy herd of deer. Planting food for them is great, but having a reliable water source all year round is critical not only to deer, but to so many other animals as well. A water source can help birds and bees which in turn will help spread and increase the plants you are growing. It will also keep the deer around more as they will learn it is a good and reliable source of water.

What are the best sources to find native and non invasive plants for an area?

Contact your state's fish & wildlife department plus your state's master naturalist organization for the most unbiased advice on native noninvasive plants.

I recently had a game & wildlife expert tell me that if he could have only one plant for feeding wildlife it would be red mulberry.

Here's another link on permies about food plots.

I've been working on converting traditional big ag method winter food plots into no till year round food plots. Here's a few links that I have handy. Ignore the toxic goop parts.

The Blue-Green Fruticose Lichens (oak moss and beard moss I think?) are a winter staple for the deer in the PNW rain forests.  I've seen a big deer eat most of a 5 gallon pile of the stuff in about 10 minutes.   I didn't think one deer would down my whole pile of bait for a single meal, but yup.

As far as food plots go I think the ones developed by Jason Snavely are probably some of the best. They mimic regenerative agriculture principles and with a high diversity of species provide a more balanced diet for deer and other game.

Here is a presentation by him that is pretty informative:

LaShae Whiting wrote:What are the best sources to find native and non invasive plants for an area?

Most probably your county extension office.  I would caution that they are state university educated and most likely will not have a "bend/bent" toward permaculture.  They are, however, a wealth of information, and the best part is it is mostly free.

As to invasive or non-invasive, this is pretty much a crap-shoot.  Most "invasives" are there for a very good reason.  Just because man has labeled them "invasive" does not mean it is so.  Quite often it is the opposite.  Some species we consider "invasive" are good for food, or good for medicine, or good for rehabilitating denuded ground, or....you get the drift.  Since this discussion is about "food plots,"  check out what Gabe Brown in North Dakota and what Mark Shepard in Wisconsin are doing.  After all, it really shouldn't be about the "monster buck," as much as it should be about the soil.  Like in the movie Field of Dreams, build it and they will come.  The soil is the key to everything.  Sick soil = sick people, (or small deer) while healthy soil = nutrient dense food for us and for the critters, including but not limited to the deer.  I know this was not much help on your question about native and non-invasive vs. invasives, it was more a reply toward the philosophy aspect of your question.  At any rate, I hope this helps you in your quest.

The way you're using deer resistant is throwing me off, but I assume you mean you want plants to attract deer?

A couple good ones I know of that I don't think anyone else gave are Deerberry & any native species of Trillium.

Most Trillium seeds are hard time find & it might be too late to sow them once you get your hands on them. Plus they take a really long time to grow in. They're a forest plant, though, & love it around oaks. Deer consider them a treat once there's enough of them around to bother. Prairie Moon Nursery sells Great White Trilliums, but I haven't been able to find any others. Trilliums are kind of endangered.

Deerberry is even harder to find, though I did find a seller offering them for a good price on Etsy. They're a relative of blueberries & have their own taste. Safe for people to eat too, although taste is said to be variable.