By Billy Davis

Panola County is overrun with white-tailed deer according to Lann Wilf, a wildlife biologist for the State of Mississippi. So obviously he has some advice for deer hunters.

“Y’all need to get after ‘em in Panola County and in Tallahatchie County, too,” Wilf said, pointing to overpopulated deer populations in both counties.

Deer season in Mississippi begins October 1, when archery season opens. The much-anticipated gun season opens November 19.  

Mississippi deer hunters are more than ready to “get after ‘em” this winter and many hunters are already hard at work readying food plots for the encounter.

Before he named the best crops for a deer food plot, Wilf named the worst: ryegrass.

Most hunters are probably familiar with ryegrass. It grows nearly anywhere, it comes up quickly, and it looks pretty, like a carpet of green. It is also cheap.

And deer hate it, said Wilf.

“Ryegrass is the lowest-preferred cool season attractant to deer,” he explained, citing scientific studies.
Ryegrass also has lower amounts of protein compared to other crops and it can be difficult to kill to replace it with another planting, Wilf said.

Ryegrass goes unmentioned among food plot suggestions from the Miss. Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, where Wilf studies deer populations in North Mississippi.

Oats and wheat are the top attractants within the cereal grains that are annuals, the wildlife biologist said.

To fertilize them, Wilf suggested 17-17-17 or 13-13-13 commercial fertilizers.

Among the legume family, Wilf suggested clover crops such as arrowleaf and crimson.

“You should be light on the nitrogen,” he said, suggesting a 8-24-24 or 0-20-20 fertilizer for the legumes.

Wilf also suggested a perennial food plot of white clover, which will remain for five to six years, he said.
On its state Web site, the Department of Wildlife suggests that hunters plant a variety of forage to properly manage their deer populations.

A cool-season planting of cereal grains and clover will ensure deer get quality grains and legumes from October through early summer.

Wilf also suggested that mix, calling it the “cookie cutter” mix, for most deer food plots.  

No matter what deer hunters plant this fall — except ryegrass, of course — Wilf said they should harvest as many does as they can during the 2011-2012 hunting season.

“I know in Panola County the deer are eating you out of house and home,” he said.

“If you want to manage your deer population long-term, every hunter should take your full limit of does.”

Mississippi game laws permit hunters to harvest three bucks and five does during the season.