- Q Why is Buck Forage oats different than other oats?A The variety in Buck Forage oats is extremely winter hardy and designed to provide more tender type growth for as long as possible.
Q Why do deer prefer Buck Forage oats?
A We can’t say for sure, but we think it is because Buck Forage oats retain a higher protein content longer. It tends to stay smaller longer. As small grains get larger they tend to become tough and the protein content decreases. Tender is always preferred over tough and stringy.
Q Has Buck Forage oats ever been tested?
A Yes, we developed this on a hunting lease near Stuttgart, Arkansas. In 1991, we asked Dr. Kroll to test and recommend it. After Dr. Kroll tested several locations, he gave his endorsement.
Q Will Buck Forage oats reseed itself?
A No, there is no easy route to successful food plots. Some plants (ex. Clover) will reseed under ideal conditions.
Q Do I have to work the ground?
A Yes and you have to cover the seed. No-till food plots sound great, but have low success rates. Some people successfully broadcast Buck Forage oats just ahead of a rain without tilling. This practice won’t be successful every time.
A About 100 pounds per acre.
Q Do I need fertilizer and lime?
A Probably, check with your local extension office for soil testing and their recommendations. A general recommendation on fertilizer is 200 lbs. Per acre of 13/13/13.
Q Is there another crop that will attract deer as well?
A Several, but none that produce during the fall. Soybeans and cowpeas are excellent but must be spring planted. Buck Forage oats are the best for hunting season.
A Clover is an excellent food plot especially in the spring. Most clover has it best growth in spring. During the fall deer prefer oats. Clover is a poor choice for attracting deer during hunting season.
A Rape is a member of the Brassica family. Rape is high in protein but low in preference by deer. You will probably not experience much utilization, but what the deer eat will be good for them. We strongly discourage anyone planting Brassica for fall attraction. Brassica includes turnip greens, mustard greens, spinach and rape.
Q Will wheat be as good as Buck Forage oats?
A No! Plant any wheat next to Buck Forage and see for yourself. Secondly, most wheat is selecter for grain production only. Generally wheat produces about 40% less forage than oats.
A Some blends are good nutrition plots, however there can bo only one most preferred seed in any blend. If you want full attraction, don’t mix your seed with less preferred plants!
Q Why not plant regular oats or feed oats?
A There is no such thing as a regular oats. You have no idea of what type of oats or germination is in feed oats.
A Spring oats are a type of oat grown in the summer in northern climates. Spring oats (because they are a summer crop) have little to no winter-hardiness. Most spring oats are killed by temperatures around 26-28 degrees F.
Q Is there any one planting that will produce year round?
A None that we are aware of. Multiple planting of both warm and cool season plots are the only sure way to provide year round forage. In most of the country, we suggest beans and cowpeas for spring/summer and Buck Forage oats for fall/winter. We recommend clover for late winter/spring to be planted in roadways, ditch banks, etc. that can’t be easily tilled. Interseeding some clover in the oats will help your game in the spring.
Q How far north will Buck Forage oats produce?
A Usually, Buck Forage oats remain green until temperatures drop 10 degrees or below. Extremely cold temperatures will freeze any oat out. Buck Forage oats can be planted earlier in the north and will provide forage until extreme cold arrives. Many hunters in the northern states and even Canada report excellent fall results. Deer will dig Buck Forage oats out of snow cover.
Q How much forage will Buck Forage oats produce?
A Buck Forage oats has not been in any forage trials. It was selected for its ability to attract and hold deer for the longest period. Under ideal conditions, Buck Forage oats can produce in excess of 10,000 lbs. per acre. Excessive fall growth usually results in lowered protein content. Remember large plants are stringy and tough. We believe deer prefer tender plants. Buck Forage oats remain tender longer than other oats.
A Two reasons. First, corn doesn’t contain the level of protein deer need. Second, it is much more economical to produce food plots than to buy grain. Research in Texas indicates supplemental feeding costs 10 times what food plots do.
Q Is Buck Forage oats drought resistant?
A Yes, it has successfully been grown in 20 inch annual rainfall areas. (Buck Forage oats will not tolerate desert condition.) Excellent results have been obtained in areas such as South Texas and Mexico.
Q I have been told that deer will eat fescue and rye grass in the fall. Why shouldn’t we plant this instead of Buck Forage oats?
A First, in our experience and many University trials, deer have a low preference for these two grasses. We rate cold season grass last in preference among the fall seeded plots. Second, deer cannot digest grass well. Just because they are green and deer will eat it doesn’t necessarily make it nutritional.
A No-till planting was developed to help control erosion. It involves using high rates of non-selective herbicides to burn down vegetation and then plant seed using a very expensive and heavy no-till planter designed for this purpose. Some seed blends are being marketed as no-till and suggest broadcasting them in weeds. We don’t recommend this practice, because seeds that will produce under these conditions are not preferred by deer.
Deer Channel 
I planted two acre plots of buck forage oats this year after wasting my money on these so called super blends.I had the soil tested and added 1 1/2 tons of lime per acre. Much to my suprise, the oats were extremely drought tolerate since we haven’t much rain in South Carolina this year. I planted 100 lbs. to the acre, put 200 lbs. of 17-17-17 on them at planting which was in September 2007. I topped the plots with 200 lbs. of 34% nitrogen last week before we got two inches of rain and the plots are beautiful in this sandy land. The deer and turkey are coming from long distances each night to eat the buck forage oats. I’ve learned my lesson which cost me a lot of money on those miracle plots. It’s buck forage oats from now on. Also, I buy the cheapest sunflower seeds from anywhere I can find them and plant them in the spring for the deer and for dove shoots in September. Sunflowers are cheap, keep deer coming to the plots all summer long, and provide legal dove shoots. If the deer eat all the sunflowers, simply replant them over and over.
I also planted about 2 acres of buck forage oats this last september.I will have to say I have seen more deer on my place than ever before.Here it is the middle of february and the oats sre still green(Im in oklahoma).The deer are keeping them eat down.They never get over 2 inches tall.I planted them no more than 50 yards from an 80 acre wheat field on the property joining mine,and they don’t pay any attention to the wheat.I will be planting them again.
I planted about a acre of buck forage oats in Sept. 2006 and on opening day my son, who was 9, shot his first deer ever. It was a nice 9 point grazing on the buck forage oats. We saw more deer that year than we have seen in a long time. The Buck Forage Oats stayed green all through the deer season and even into turkey season of 2007. No doubt the best plot I have ever planted. We now plant Buck Forage Oats on all of our foodplots. A great product I would recommend for all hunters or wildlife observers to plant.