Buckwheat is a warm-season annual plant often used in agriculture as a fast-growing cover crop. It establishes quickly and tolerates a wide range of soil conditions. This plant is known for its ability to suppress weeds and improve soil health. However, its viability as a primary food source for deer is a common question for land managers.
Deer Palatability and Consumption
Deer will consume buckwheat, but it is generally considered a secondary forage rather than a highly preferred attractant. Buckwheat offers excellent nutritional value, with crude protein levels ranging from 15 to 25 percent. The green plants also provide high moisture content, which is an important source of hydration during the summer months.
Consumption levels are often tied to the availability of other food sources. When native browse becomes less palatable during mid-to-late summer, deer often turn to buckwheat, leading to heavy grazing. However, the plant’s rapid growth rate quickly affects palatability, causing deer to pass it up once it matures.
Timing of Consumption
Deer consumption of buckwheat depends highly on the plant’s maturity and growth stage. They overwhelmingly prefer the young, lush, green foliage that appears shortly after germination. A plot can become attractive for grazing as quickly as 35 to 45 days after planting, offering a quick food source.
Once the plant develops woody stems and matures, it becomes less appealing to deer. Buckwheat matures quickly, often going to seed in as little as 10 weeks, making the window for peak palatability relatively short. While the leaves are the primary target, deer will also consume the highly nutritious triangular seed heads.
Using Buckwheat in Wildlife Food Plots
Buckwheat is a versatile addition to a food plot program, offering benefits beyond just forage production. It is highly valued as a “green manure” crop because it rapidly produces a large amount of biomass. When terminated and incorporated, this biomass improves soil organic matter. Its rapid growth also allows it to function as an effective smother crop, creating a dense canopy that suppresses weeds.
Buckwheat is frequently used as a component in a mixed plot, often planted with warm-season species like cowpeas or grain sorghum to diversify forage options. Using it in a blend is beneficial because its rapid establishment can help protect slower-growing plants. Buckwheat is typically planted in the summer and allowed to grow until the first hard frost kills it. This utilizes the plant for soil health and summer nutrition before transitioning the plot for cool-season planting.