Cowpeas For Deer! Update With Deer Pics & Video!

[@ukjw2]

What’s it look like into the fall?

[@TheHandyHunter]

It starts getting gnarly towards the fall but I’ve seen them pop new buds all the way to November. The deer dont seem to eat them then due to other food sources and they are probably tougher. Hope that helps!

[@LandonCarpenter-wp5bg]

Did you or would you plant with a seed drill?

[@TheHandyHunter]

I planted these with a broadcast spreader but a drill or crop row planter would be better. A broadcast spreader will break the seed open if it spins to fast so I have to go as slow as possible.

[@lesterakalezer9891]

What kind of cowpea are these? There are many different types.

[@TheHandyHunter]

IronClay cowpeas

[@lesterakalezer9891]

@@TheHandyHunter Are these better than red ripper or does it not matter to much?

[@TheHandyHunter]

Never used red ripper but I can guarantee you it won’t matter. If you plant peas they will tear them up like you won’t believe. You’ll be lucky to even establish a plot before they destroy it. Good luck!

[@ethanwilson8969]

I’ve herd to plant sourgum with it to give it something to vine to, but yours looks so good is it just cowpeas?

[@TheHandyHunter]

Hey brother, yep just cowpeas in mine. You can plant sunflower, short corn, or sorghum to help the vines but dont plant too thick. These vines will find everything to climb on including your camera stands. Good luck!!

[@ronaldswindell1525]

👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@ChilcoteForestryServices]

Could you share the planting date, soil temps, where yer located?

[@TheHandyHunter]

I’m in central Georgia and I typically plant cowpeas after my oats in my fall plot have seeded out. This usually occurs late June or early July. Since this can be a dry time of the year it’s good to plant right before a summer rain. Cowpeas germinate quickly with heat and moisture so they’ll pop in a matter of a few days. You can start planting them early April if you want and they will last for about 3 months. Hope that helps! Good luck!

[@ukjw2]

What is the difference in seed store bought and great value Walmart cow peas meant for consumption? Those are like 1.50 per pound.

[@TheHandyHunter]

Seed stores are cheaper because of the bulk but use can use cowpeas for gardening from Walmart…just going to pay more. Both will yield results. Good luck!

[@brentncindy9023]

I can't get the deer to eat my cow peas. So I planted some winter peas and brassica's. Same thing. They won't touch it.

[@TheHandyHunter]

Where are you located? Do you have cams on the plots because they grow fast and depending on deer density it can be hard for them to keep up with the growth.

[@brentncindy9023]

I do have cams. And I have pics/videos of them walking around the edge of the plots. None of them even walking through the plot. Got plenty of pics of them eating corn from a feeder 50 feet from the cowpeas. 20 feet from the brassica's and winter peas. Makes no sense. @@TheHandyHunter

[@TheHandyHunter]

What state are you in and when did you plant your cowpeas?

[@brentncindy9023]

I live in Virginia. 1st food plot was planted June 19th. The next plot was July 8th. Both grew like gang busters. @@TheHandyHunter

[@TheHandyHunter]

Ok that all sounds good. Are you near farms that could be a food source? This time of year they could be full on acorns but June and July tender beans are hard to pass up. Weird. Maybe give them another season to get used to them.

[@jasonhill9796]

Brand did u use? How many bags to cover what u did? What time of year to plan?

[@TheHandyHunter]

Sorry, don’t remember the exact seed brand. Got it at Seedworld by where I live. I planted 50lbs to the acre and I usually plant in late June or 1st part of July…I’m in central Georgia. Hope that helps!

[@alaskamike3577]

Great video, very helpful and your method works. Last year I followed your advice with the feed oats and it worked like a charm. I had lots of nice bucks in the fall food plots every evening. It is nearing July now 2019 and I have ordered a bag of Iron/clay cowpeas to put down next month. I will have cowpeas and oats for the deer this fall with Egyptian wheat green screen for covered access to and from blinds. Much appreciation to you for the video work and helpful tips.

[@TheHandyHunter]

Thanks Mike! It’s s great to hear that you are seeing success in your foodplots. I recently planted 6 acs of cowpeas and the deer are hammering them! Thanks for the feedback and shoot me some pics if you want for our community board. Keep in touch brother!

[@barrymulharan8637]

Hope you have a great season!! Been killin alot of hogs!!!!!

[@TheHandyHunter]

Awesome! Just got my plots planted so praying for some rain! Good luck and keep in touch!

[@larryumphfrey3880]

I know this video is old, but is there a difference in iron cowpeas and clay cowpeas? If so, what kind are these?

[@TheHandyHunter]

Good question. No difference. They are called both iron clay peas and cowpeas. They are the same. Thanks for watching!

[@lbriant48]

Interesting, I planted some whitetail institute Power Plant Probably 3 acres total Don't think I'm going to get good results, Maybe too much rain ? pretty touchy to grow I think maybe ? Might try this next year, My other plots are killing it,,,,

[@TheHandyHunter]

Good to know! What’s in the power plant? I planted some soybeans, cowpeas, and peanuts. I’m waiting to see how the peanuts turn out. I dry planted but hopefully they didnt false germinate. Keep in touch buddy!

[@lbriant48]

@@TheHandyHunter Power Plant is from whitetail Institute, Its a mix of climbing peas Sun Flower water hemp and beans Been a real hard year here in Iowa with the water, i'll probably till up that powerplant if it dont kick in and put in some Big Beasty Or tall tine tubers, My green screen is really kicking in, Ill put it in my next video, Keep up the good work Brother !!

[@TheHandyHunter]

Sounds like a great mix! Just subscribed to your channel so I can follow your progress! Take care!

[@lbriant48]

@@TheHandyHunter Thanks for the Sub

[@scyoungfarmer2877]

I have to admit I’m located in sc and I planted my cowpea plot last week and I placed my feeder there and man I got over 500 pics in the past 3 days

[@TheHandyHunter]

Just wait! You ain’t seen nothin yet! Wait till they get higher. Just make sure your camera is far from the runners because they will wrap around your camera like an octopus. Thanks for sharing and good luck!

[@scyoungfarmer2877]

The Handy Hunter will do

[@paulaadkinson8628]

Awesome idea!

[@tonyofton3785]

I planted some about 3 month a go and man it looks like a little jungle in it but the deers was not eat it that much so after I mowed it down and life some standing around my food plot the deer have been eating it like crazy after they have picked the peanuts next to my food plot

[@dubosecody]

Just came across this video trying to get ideas for next year. Did you fence any of your field in to help protect from over browsing before the peas got established? We have several 3/4-1 acre fields, and my biggest concern is planting them and losing them before they get established because the deer hit them so hard.

[@TheHandyHunter]

I did not fence in to protect. I just planted right before a rain and they pop out at 2” in 2 weeks. Once you get them to the fork stage the deer can nip one side off and it will recover. Once they get 6”-1ft high they grow like crazy and the deer can’t keep up. Hard to know how your deer will react but hopefully they’ll get off to a good start before the deer find the buffet! Good luck and let me know how it goes.

[@jaifethroberts4193]

at 3:53 There are eyes in the upper right corner!

[@TheHandyHunter]

Good eye brother! I didn’t see that one!

[@zekethefishgeek8690]

Bug flying...

[@TexasBowHunter]

Good to see this plot doing well. And deer frequenting it.

[@TheHandyHunter]

Texas BowHunter they sure love cowpeas! Thanks for watching!

[@mattchilders3123]

Throw some soybeans in there for late winter. The forage soybeans from Eagle Seed will rebranch.....I like those cowpeas too.

[@TheHandyHunter]

Awesome idea Matt! I’ve never used the forage beans by Eagle...do they pod out or do they just produce leaves? I’ve always wanted to try them but they are a little pricey. Thanks for watching brother!

[@mattchilders3123]

No sir they POD big time. And they will grown to about 8 feet under perfect conditions and not touched but that rarely happens in mother nature. Not for production obviously but they are really good. They also hold there leaves for quite a while in the winter. I've seen them still green but not quite as tender in late December.

[@TheHandyHunter]

Love it! If you mix them with cowpeas will they overtake them? I’m gonna try them next year for sure!

[@mattchilders3123]

I've never planted them together. But they are robust.

[@TheHandyHunter]

I’m in...thanks for your input!

[@o4murph]

Loved this video and the one where you planted? How long do the deer eat on the peas. Will they last into October and November? What is the smallest plot you recommend. planting cow peas

[@TheHandyHunter]

Thank you! If I plant end of June I’ve seen deer eat the remnants into Oct. The 1st cold or frost will turn them yellow and become less palatable to deer. Hard to say smallest plot size...depends on deer density, etc. I usually plant at least two of my 1ac plots in peas if not more. If you spread the seed and disk in right before a rain you will have a plot in a week! Good luck and let me know how it goes!

[@ronmacdougall9612]

Where can a person get that seed and when do you plant

[@TheHandyHunter]

Most local seed dealers will have or can get cowpeas/Iron Clay peas. I get mine locally at seedworldusa.com you can buy online as well but more expensive. My personal planting preference is in June or July when forage becomes scarce. I also throw a few in my fall mix but it dies off at first frost. Hope that helps!

[@ronmacdougall9612]

@@TheHandyHunter yes,I think I will throw in some oats and winter rye

[@notinacorner592]

Foodplot master! Very informative. What's nxt for this plot..will the arrow leaf come back or new fall planting?

[@TheHandyHunter]

I just planted fall plots last week so I'm going to ride these cowpea plots out until they completely die. Then they will probably lay down and the seedbank of oats and arrowleaf will probably find it's way through sooner or later. I will play it by ear and if some cool season stuff doesn't pop through then I may disk early spring and plant two rotations of cowpeas next summer. I planted/mixed some cowpeas in my fall plots too and the deer will hammer them until 1st frost. I've never seen so many deer on our farm. Even with a hog problem these deer are sticking around because of the food source. Now, they may all disappear by the rut so we'll have to see...LOL. Thanks for watching brother!

[@notinacorner592]

@@TheHandyHunter keep us posted on this plot I'd like to see the results! Defanitly som nice bucks in the patch! My plot is only 4 acres in the middle of 120,000 acres of ntl forest here in western ark. Hav tried winter peas before but the deer will not let them grow lol. I'm sure it would take several acres to get a stand of peas with a sizable herd.

[@TheHandyHunter]

I hear ya! Will keep you posted! Good luck getting a big one! I just planted some winter peas too so we’ll see what happens.

[@jaydore6870]

No fertilizer added just using the nitrogen from the clover?

[@TheHandyHunter]

I didn't use any fertilizer but it's important to inoculate the seed because the bacteria will convert nitrogen from the air in the soil. If you do use fertilizer, use a very low nitrogen ratio like 2-10-10, 8-16-16, or I've even used 0-20-20 (but hard to find). I got lucky in this patch because I planted in July and we got a lot of rain that month that jump started the plot. I'm planting more this year! Good luck!

[@jacksondrewry8415]

I love this channel keep it up!

[@TheHandyHunter]

Jackson, thank you so much!!! So glad you like our channel! Appreciate the kind comment and hope you keep coming back! God bless!

[@dylanfaucheux5335]

How late in the season do cowpeas last?

[@TheHandyHunter]

Hi Dylan, the first frost will burn them down severely but I have seen them try to resprout after that. I don’t think they are very palatable at that point but I can’t say for sure. I plant them in the summer months but I also add to my fall mix that I plant mid Sept. It gives good cover to the fall mix while being yummy tender leaves for a good month or more after fall planting. Hope that helps! Good luck!

[@bodeestratton517]

How do you keep the deer off the plot long enough for it to grow that high?

[@TheHandyHunter]

Hi Bodee, just answered you over on IG. Let me know if you need anything else and good luck! I love cowpeas!!

[@joemomma791]

Hogs don’t give you any trouble??

[@TheHandyHunter]

We have a huge hog problem. Going to be trapping after deer season is over. We’ve still had a great deer season despite all the hogs but they will eventually dig up my plots...just a matter of time. Do you have a lot in Twiggs?

[@joemomma791]

The Handy Hunter 317 acres on the river right past Waterford. We get about 30-40 on cam often, that’s the biggest problem, they destroy 7/9 plots with 2/3 being about a acre each.

[@TheHandyHunter]

I hear ya! When I plant my food plots they come behind me and eat a lot of the seed. If you are on a river you’ll have a steady supply all year. Get ready to do some serious trapping! Good luck and keep in touch!

[@zekethefishgeek8690]

I live in North Georgia and I'm game for coming down for free and shooting them with thermal scoped rifles. I've thumped 86 coyotes in the last 2 years within 2 mile radius of my property. I used to live in Walton County, Georgia in the past. I have a couple other guys that would like to go as well.

[@patrickmcgee6027]

Do bear and hogs eat this as well

[@TheHandyHunter]

We don’t have bears but we do have hogs and they don’t eat cowpeas to my knowledge. They will destroy the plot they are planted in to find grubs, etc.

[@MySliceOfHeavenoutdoors]

Nice video, Nice to know about the cowpeas. I have heard of them before but did not know that they regrew when nipped off.

[@TheHandyHunter]

Man, deer love them like no tomorrow! They have become my favorite summer forage plot. I even mix them into my fall plots and deer hammer them until 1st frost...then they die. Give them a try and see if your deer like them.. Thanks for watching brother!