All native habitat for whitetail deer? The Truth!

[@sammylacks4937]

When I think of invasives , the Bermese pythons , iguanas and whatever else is running loose in S Fla., along with kudzu everywhere. If you were talking about same species as Bradford pear , I've seen them growing in our woods. This was a very good topic and several of the plants you mentioned I didn't know about. It's a good idea before planting anything to research it. Thanks for sharing

[@seanbalch7563]

Well said. Good thoughts

[@davealatalo1955]

Great explanation! Thanks for providing the clarity.

[@hightail5313]

Good video Don. We are non-native also! When I find a stone arrowhead on my farm I think to myself, "Wow", and give a nod to the native who made it thousands of years ago.

[@kennylainhart7148]

This video opened some people's eyes 👀 Thanks Don!!!

[@mjay61911]

Very informative, thanks Don

[@ravens3rdring644]

Thank you Don. I did not know that.

[@EpicWhitetailHabitatLLC]

Well done, Done! Great clarification.

[@nolanbillings8426]

Very well articulated, sir. I could not agree more.

[@mikehowie7237]

Great, great video Don!!!

[@whitetailhunter7202]

I do plant food plots, I don't take a side either way on this subject. Your video just popped up in my feed. However, there is one native plant to North America that will make you waste your $$$ on food plot seed if it has a good crop. Has done this to me and soooo many in this area for years. White Oaks. The crop was so large this year that the only time we saw deer in the plots were just to cross to get to the next group of oaks. The deer are STILL eating the acorns here in February! So planting and maintaining white oaks on your property will only make it more appealing to deer in the years to come.

[@richstafford1245]

So what do you do on non productive year’s?Early season when large oak flats are deer deserts? The amount of time oaks are a productive food source is very small. Especially if you have high deer density….

[@whitetailhunter7202]

@richstafford1245 I'll restate what is posted. I still plant foodplots. I just don't go crazy and buy expensive commercial foodplot seed. Just oats/clover/turnips from local MFA. Spend less than $100 for 4 acres spread over several plots. On lower yield years, there are many more hitting the plots. However, that's been 1 out of the last 10 years. So many times, I and many around me plant and end up hunting the woods, because the deer are there and not in the food plots. We have a relatively large deer population here. Missouri even added additional antlerless tags available for next year and, going forward, even extended the seasons. I'm still getting trailcam pics of deer eating acorns, even from last night. Feb. 14th.

[@richstafford1245]

@@whitetailhunter7202 definitely not my situation. Deer density is high. Acorn are abundant probably one out of every six years. Even on banner years the white oak acorn don’t last past October. Reds will hang around occasionally until early December.

[@whitetailhunter7202]

@richstafford1245 Well, we do have a high volume of white and red oaks in our area. My grandfather and many others in the area planted additional oaks along with already existing trees. Now, 70-80 years later , we are reaping the benefits. So we are passing it on by doing the same. When an Oak is harvested or dies, we replace it with 2 more.

[@whitetailhunter7202]

Our banner years, you can Shovel the acorns off the ground and fill dump trucks.

[@butleroutdoors2188]

I think many people get misguided and confused when it comes to terms like native, natural, invasives, etc. Great information and clarification Don!

[@kokadjooutdoors620]

Well put video. Building habitat on our family property to be left to the next generation. No grand kids yet few more years hopefully lol but planted apples,pears, peaches, and few food plots. Still building and learning as I go. Have built up woodcock partridge and deer. Slowly turkeys been checking things out. Been great experience

[@stevegermain1222]

Great job done

[@wadejackson3297]

Excellent job Don👍 very informative.

[@davidparrish1063]

100 percent Correct Thanks Don!

[@hpgdawnpatrol9456]

Here in the southeast a great year round food that equals cover is Lagustrum. I believe it is nonnative and from asia. I look for it and hunt it particularly in the late season as it stays growing and green year round.

[@travislee5417]

Good stuff

[@Ohio98]

Higgins, great distinctions! I guess it boils down to "invasive" vs "non-invasive" rather than "native vs non-native". Miscanthus is native to Champaign County. Correct me if I'm wrong but that Miscanthus X Gigantus was developed in a U of I lab. Thats why its sterile. They were developing it for biomass and, when mature, it produces more ethanol than a field of corn. I planted 1.5 miles to border my farm. It's kind of messy when those tall stems fall over. In hindsight switchgrass would have been better in my application but thats what you get when you DIY!

[@wcb5890]

Not sure anyone cares about food plot species when talking about native vs non-native. when talking about grasses , trees, shrubs, etc... on many properties it would be easy to manage deer with them. If a guy is touting "all natives" and then tells people to plant a non-native of course that is misleading. But to say a true "all native" piece won't be as productive or attractive as one that isn't is not true. (minus food plots because again I don't think that is truly part of the "all native" discussion on the habitat side)

[@chasinggiantswithhigginsou6147]

so I guess what you are saying is that its ok to plant non-native species in a food plot but not ok to plant non-native trees, shrubs and grasses? What about apple and pear trees which are non-native? Lets just accept the fact that the vast majority of the "all-native" habitat crowd are hypocrites who dont follow their own preaching. Thanks for watching

[@Paulannear]

I think you and Kyle need to sit down, hash this out and do a podcast together 😂

[@chasinggiantswithhigginsou6147]

I'm up for it!

[@NativeHabitatProject]

Would love nothing more than this! Let’s make it happen

[@stephencanter8947]

I will push back on a few things you failed to talk about. you failed to mention how important it is to know what's around your hunting area. what is available to the deer and what is lacking. Diversity is king in deer habitat and food. typically in most hunting areas in my neck of the woods there are plenty of Ag fields around with corn and soybeans and big hardwood open timber but what is usually lacking is food that equals cover. So in some instances more native IS better and we can create that without ever planting a single seed. All the good non natives you mentioned require planting seeds or a tree. that's a lot of time, money, soil samples, equipment, fertilizer, lime etc. Work smarter not harder. Take advantage of what is already there with half the effort/time/money. Use the "crop tree release" method to increase acorn and persimmon production. Use fire to promote forbs in fields and in timber. cut less undesirable trees and let deer browse on the buds and new growth from the stumps. anyone can create and increase year round food and cover for deer and it will cost you way less to do so than to plant what everyone else is planting. I'm not fortunate enough to hunt in the land of the giants where big bucks feel comfortable walking out in a huge WIDE OPEN food plot/ag field during daylight. They just don't do that here in NC unless they are chasing a doe. Deer have survived and thrived for years without foot plots. I am not against food plots at all. I use them but its more of a supplement than a focal point. The native habitat food that equals cover is and should be the focal point (with diversity in mind). Research Dr. Craig Harper from the university of Tennessee and his work and read some of his books. You will be happy that you did.

[@muleskinner485]

Where did the worthless switchgrass come from?

[@native_landscapes]

Native to North America. Not worthless but definitely over used.

[@waynecoulman8116]

Thank you for your research and you Realy explained it very well I’ll be contacting you for giant miscanthus

[@gopackgo933]

Instead of thinking in terms of species, we should think in terms of ecosystems.

[@douglasroseveare7295]

Great video. I live in Manitoba Canada and it gets super cold here in winter time. I am going to plant a small food plot this year and will be soil testing first but I am still not totally sure what to plant with the short growing season. My plan was to plant a strip of rye or wheat maybe and a strip of clover, alfalfa and chicory beside it. Any ideas? It has to be mid to late July and into early August at the very latest if there is rain forecasted.

[@kokadjooutdoors620]

Live in maine not as cold but close. Deer love clover winter rye wheat and oats. Oats die off but easy to plant in late summer. Sprouts and grows quick. Been to dry in summer for brassicas and turnips for me have to plant earlier

[@611Cowboy]

Disappointed in this video. Its just a defense of a product you are selling. You dont actually address the concerns that people have. You made a poor case. It was really just a long video saying its not invasive yet, here is the hearsay i defend against, and people plant non-invasives so i can. You might have a case but you didnt present it well for someone that is educated

[@chasinggiantswithhigginsou6147]

Thanks for watching. Too bad you didnt watch with an open mind. Giant Miscanthus has been in this country for decades and has never been invasive. That is a FACT you seem to want to ignore

[@611Cowboy]

@@chasinggiantswithhigginsou6147 i didnt ignore it. I’m saying you didnt make a good case for anything related to the title. You didnt address the concerns about what might happen with miscanthus. You conveniently ignored that callery pears were perfectly find until they hybridized, which is the concern with the myscanthus that people have addressed. I came to the table with an open mind. And im saying you made a poor case even if you are right

[@craigsmith7101]

Do you know that Asia is a Continent and not a country. The countries of Turkey and China are in Asia the continent. Your video creator showed the flags for oats and rye in eastern Europe maybe Serbia or Grease. I get your point but your presentation is weak.

[@jrwstl02]

@Craig Smith. Grease? That’s not a country. Did you mean Greece? Maybe your spelling is “weak”.

[@dylanmatter1088]

Hahaha

[@Buckeyebeliever66]

Craig, maybe you should take a spelling class

[@gsquared2394]

I have a farmer around me that thinks miscanthus is invasive. Can’t talk him out of it.

[@dylanmatter1088]

@@ErelasInglor did you not watch the video? Clearly you didn't. There is a difference between not Native and invasive. Stop being dumb.

[@dylanmatter1088]

@@ErelasInglor please explain to me why mine hasn't spread in now it's 5th year?

[@richstafford1245]

@@ErelasInglor great information. Don has been beating the drum on this for so long he’s pot committed. He has a very fundamentalist attitude on many subjects. Not to say he hasn’t adjusted his position in the past but there are a few core ideas he has closed his mind about. Religion, politics, cross bows and miscanthus grass…

[@chasinggiantswithhigginsou6147]

@@richstafford1245 because I am totally convinced that I am right on some issues but still learning and opened minded on the vast majority of topics

[@richstafford1245]

@@chasinggiantswithhigginsou6147 history is littered with many people that were convinced they were right about a few things. A closed mind on any subject is troublesome to say the least. Reason being is in most cases it’s simply an attempt to avoid impeachment of your own ideas and opinions or the smoking gun that could prove you wrong. You seem to be too smart to fall into that trap but pride will often distort your moral compass. It’s not one of the seven deadly sins for nothing…