# When do deer like soybeans the best?



## BOE_Hunter (Jul 29, 2005)

A buddy and me sat on a 120 acre bean field tonight that has heavy woods on two sides and a thick fenceline on the other side. We were in two ground blinds but could see most of the field.

There is tons of sign around and a salt lick we put out was hit real hard. There was a hard frost (north central Minnesota) and the beans are yellowish brown.

We did not see a single deer on the field tonight. Are there times when the deer don't go for the tast of soybeans? Is there and optimum time to see deer on the bean fields? Please help, this is puzzling me why we didn't see deer.


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## mn5503 (Feb 21, 2006)

I know they love them late season.


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## mdnabors (Sep 20, 2009)

When they start to yellow (and get less palatable) they leave them alone for another fresh food source...namely acorns if they are in the area or tender grain fields (oats, wheat, rye, etc...) that have been recently planted. Beans will again be main food source in late winter as they brown and dry and the deer are trying to fatten back up. Good luck


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## Big Country (Apr 25, 2003)

They like `em best when they first sprout....way before season, and then again after the corn is gone. At least that has been my experience with deer and beans.


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## Stanley (Jan 18, 2005)

This time of year there is so much browse deer have plenty of eating everywhere. Deer prefer corn fields over bean fields this time of year. Deer will hit the bean fields after the beans are harvested more so than before. You may ask why, because it is an easy meal for them. The stuff the combine leaves behind is ground up for their eating pleasure.


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## BowKil (Mar 19, 2005)

Early in the seaso they're all over the beans. Once the acorns start dropping they'll probably hang aroung those until dark, then hit the fields. Late season hit the cornfields if there's any standing corn left.


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## bowhntng4evr (Dec 18, 2009)

They are mainly on the corn until acorns drop. After that is depleted, they go after the soybeans, wood browse and what's left of the corn. They won't care if its rotting. They are just trying to survive through the winter ahead. They practically eat anything to fatten back up after rutting.


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## [email protected] (Dec 11, 2007)

When beans turn brown and the leaves drop deer sighting's will go down, alfalfa and corn is still green, that is where you will see more at this time, when everything turns brown, after the first hard frost and going into winter they will hit the beans again.


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## 3children (Aug 10, 2008)

It has been my expereance that deer eat certain things, and with the temperature change means something different. A deer eating corn for a whole week and you have the deer patterned for opening day, but a front comes thru. You sit on your stand and the deer doesn't show up, he is in another field eating something else, beans. In your area it might be different but I have found that the higher protein beans will bring a deer in with cold. Or is the other way around? hmmm find out!


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## chuckatuk (May 28, 2003)

Around here from the time they sprout untill they are gone.They use them less when the acorns drop,but they are still in the fields at night.With the most use during the first month of growth.


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## Mallardbreath (Dec 7, 2007)

Deer love beens in early autumn. Its a great place to hunt if they are still mostly green in early season (mid-September). Then they leave them alone after they dry up until late season. But I do love hunting over bean the first week of season.


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## BOE_Hunter (Jul 29, 2005)

Okay, so from what I am hearing, leave the beans until about mid-November here in Minnesota when it is cold. I guess it off to the woods and corn fields instead for a while.


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## Fantail (Jul 9, 2009)

Damn, think I'll try a small plot of beans next year!


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## 410gage (Dec 14, 2008)

You could ask the soybean question another way. When is it best to hunt over or around soybean fields? Well my experience is that deer like the tender vines and leaves mid summer - but it is not hunting season then! They also are attracted to the beans themselves if they are standing after all the other local ag crops are in the bins or railcars going to market. Yes, they will be out in the picked bean fields vacuuming up beans that the combine did not get, but good farmers with modern combines do not leave much. That is $$$ laying on the ground that they try very hard not to lose.
If you know the farmer and are on friendly terms, your best bet would be to ask him if he would sell you a half acre or so and leave it stand. Then you have the very best situation possible. If he is yielding maybe 50 bushels per acre, I guess a half acre could cost you $175 or so. Good Luck!


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## pybowhtr (Nov 17, 2009)

The colder the weather the more deer that will be in the soybean fields. In Jan. if there is missed standing plants the deer will be all over them . good hunting


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## Cornfed (Oct 15, 2002)

As the others have mentioned, deer perfer soybeans when they are GREEN, in summer, and then again very late in the season (dec-jan) once other food sources have been depleted. Right now just isn't an effective time to hunt beans.... there are just to many other, more prefered, options available to 'em.


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## BOE_Hunter (Jul 29, 2005)

Thanks guys. This has helped a lot.


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## ruffme (Aug 4, 2005)

BOE_Hunter said:


> Okay, so from what I am hearing, leave the beans until about mid-November here in Minnesota when it is cold. I guess it off to the woods and corn fields instead for a while.


I hunt bean fields a lot in Central MN...they love the green shots and leaves. But in the early fall they are drying down, the leaves have little nutritional value in them and they don't go after the pods yet as there is still enough good browse around. I watched a doe walk along the field last week and eat EVERYTHING BUT the beans. But as the season goes on, natural browse is not as good, the corn is coming out, they will start hitting the bean fields to scrounge for fallen beans.
What THEY really like around me is when they till up the bean fields and the volunteer weeds/etc. resprout. If you can find a field that has been plowed early and is resprouting in mid-late October it will have deer in it.


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## cabin fever (Nov 21, 2007)

When my wifes cousin an myself are'nt nockin em down doing deer control for the farmer. LOL!!


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## cath8r (Jan 17, 2003)

Soybeans are my kind of Hunting 'trick' arouind here. Deer leave them alone once they get even a touch yellow though. They have to be green for the deer to like them when they are up. The trick part for me is to wait until they are picked. Once they get harvested wait 2-3 days for the deer to find them and tell their friends. Hunt trails leading into a recently picked bean field and you should do great. Especially if picked late the bucks will be on to them too. Once picked the family groups will be on to them hard until the easy pickings are eaten up. If picked late the bucks will on to them for the easy protien and to harras the does that are coming into estrus at that time. Our beans are coming off now (early!). 
Right now its acorns, vines and picked bean fields, if I could make time to hit a stand this week.....


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## brianhokie (Mar 1, 2010)

on the eastern Shore, the soy beans are brown, but lima beans are green. the deer are all over them eating the leaves


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## tjsjr (Mar 30, 2009)

Dang! I just tried hunting a bean field tonight. The farmer just took one swipe around the edge today. There was lots of shelled beans on the ground and in one spot I think the combine took a dump. There was a pile about 3 5 gallon buckets big. 

Anyhow, I was backed up to the woodline/creek and didn't see anything. All his corn is tall and dried up but still standing. Ive never been a farmer but I would geuss the corn is no good anymore, I wouldn't want it anyhow.


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## bigracklover (Feb 1, 2008)

The farmer I lease from is supposed to harvest the beans this week, weather permitting. I'm ready, the beans are brown and the deer aren't touching them.


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## ChrisK. (Oct 23, 2009)

Mostly when the are green and not dry and then when it is in stuble in the evening. Green in the mornings and evening.


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## elkhunter2900 (May 7, 2010)

Yeah, that's right. they will chow down on beans until they turn color. Early season hunt the green corners of bean fields. Then they hit the acorns hard until after harvest, then right back to the beans. 

We always hunt the woods in the mornings and field edges, even off of them 50 or more yards at times after a couple of weeks of season. Seems they like to stage just out of the fields until near dark.
All bets off and fields are it mid November.


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## ruffme (Aug 4, 2005)

tjsjr said:


> Dang! I just tried hunting a bean field tonight. The farmer just took one swipe around the edge today. There was lots of shelled beans on the ground and in one spot I think the combine took a dump. There was a pile about 3 5 gallon buckets big.
> 
> Anyhow, I was backed up to the woodline/creek and didn't see anything. All his corn is tall and dried up but still standing. Ive never been a farmer but I would geuss the corn is no good anymore, I wouldn't want it anyhow.


lmao They don't harvest it until its brown and dried down....the drier the better!


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## tjsjr (Mar 30, 2009)

redruff said:


> lmao They don't harvest it until its brown and dried down....the drier the better!


 Well, like I said, I aint never been a farmer! :embara:


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## ruffme (Aug 4, 2005)

tjsjr said:


> Well, like I said, I aint never been a farmer! :embara:


lol...we forgive ya! Just fyi..the deer LOVE to hide in that stuff!


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## tjsjr (Mar 30, 2009)

Yea, I was hoping to jump one out when I was walking in. There aint no way to hunt standing corn that I know, unless your 20ft tall and have bombs for arrows!


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## Dethfromabove (Apr 5, 2004)

They like the beens the best when they are green.


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