We used to farm a really small patch of soybeans (couple times around the "field" and it was planted) that was surrounded all the way with woods not far from a medium sized creek that is a major deer pathway through our area. Maybe 10% of the beans would get over a foot tall. The rest the deer kept "mowed down" like esshup talked about to 3". They love the emerging trifoliates, so munch one set off and as soon as the next set emerges they get it in a day or two.
We finally gave up on growing beans in that patch and put it to corn. I was really glad when the landlord gave the ground to someone else. Of the three fields, one really big enough to be farmed economically, the deer and other critters destroyed at least a third of it each year. He always wondered why his crops did not yield as much as others he heard about but would never consider thinning out the deer "herd". And it really was a "herd". Sometimes >30 in a group. They are a menace in our creek bottom ground and do some damage in the upland.
Last edited by snrub; 02/06/14 09:55 AM.
