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Post by danf on Apr 13, 2006 16:45:47 GMT -5
I've decided I need to use something else this year in my plots. They aren't very big, probably 1/4-1/2 acre in size between two of them. The bigger one could easily get bigger or smaller without too much problem. I sowed some Buck Forage Oats last fall and just wasn't impressed with the amount of visitation they recieved during the season last fall. Granted, last year was an exceptional mast producing year. However, I'd like to increase the traffic if at all possible in my little section of the woods. What kind of plantings does everyone use? I guess I'm looking for short term results right now, but I do have an eye on the future. I've got about 3-5 acres on the back part of our property that is wooded. Primarily black locust, with some ash, a few *small* cherries, and box elder mixed in. The locust was planted about 20 years ago, so it's getting time to start thinning some out for firewood.  I've also got about 1-1.5 acres that is grassy around my pond that I'd like to plant trees in. It may happen yet this spring, depending on how many seedlings we've got leftover from the 10k we're planting at work. At a minimum, I'll be able to bring some home and stick in here and there. It'll probably be a mix of some sort; oak, cherry, crab, maybe some hawthorn, pine, spruce, etc. Our woods is a SMALL part of a larger wooded area encompassing ~300-400 acres on 6-10 properties. I can post a Google Earth image if anyone needs to see the surrounding area. I'm somewhat limited on equipment, though I can obtain some if needed. I own an old Allis WD with a 2 bottom plow, loader (not a heavy mover!) and a bushhog. I'm trying to find a disc for it, but I can borrow Dad's tractor and disc for the short term. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! |
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Post by kbiddle on May 8, 2006 7:39:04 GMT -5
Danf,
In my opnion there are a couple of different approaches you could use..
One would be something like clover of some type for the spring and summer... Or the alternative would be a blend of some type..
I prefer blends as they have differnt maturing times and seem to hold deer better....though the season...
Lastly in the fall I personally like the forage oats.. but you could go with something like Biologic full draw.. or some other brand no till... If you dont do a soil sample I would suggest broadcasting at least 200lbs an acre of 12-12-12....
The tress will take some time before you see the benifit of them but long term a way to go....
I am by no means an expert so take it as an opnion....
If you could post a few pic that would be good...
BEst of luck..
Kevin
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Post by hornharvester on May 8, 2006 10:09:59 GMT -5
my plots are small too so i use full draw and provide in a 50/50 mix which is turnips and barrasics and plant it in mid august. i use 15-15-15 @300 lbs to the acre. this stuff stays green until january. deer are really on it after a frost or two.
for trees any fruit tree will attract deer, apples and pears seem to do the best. i'd also plant some persimmon too. h.h.
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Post by drs on May 8, 2006 10:30:49 GMT -5
Try planting either or both Alsike Clover or Lespedza. Besure to check your soil pH first. Both grow well on slightly acid soil and can withstand drought better than many types of Clovers or grasses. You need to sow the seed in very early Spring.
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Post by hornharvester on May 8, 2006 17:14:39 GMT -5
i use to plant clover plots for all year use but found the deer like young tender plants more than tougher mature plants. i have a lot more deer eating on the plot in deer season if i use annual seeds and plant in mid-august than i do a clover plot that's been there all summer.
the seeds im planting will withstand several hard frosts and freezes. last year we had a big snow that covered it and then it got real cold. a week or two later the snow melted off and the plants stood back up and turned green again. h.h.
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Post by solohunter on May 9, 2006 4:31:42 GMT -5
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Post by danf on May 12, 2006 14:39:04 GMT -5
Thanks guys. You all just jumped on it in the last few days. I did get almost 100 trees planted last weekend. A mix of bald cypress (for the wetter pond drainage areas), burr oak, norway spruce, and either crabapple or cherry trees. Plus a handfull of unidentified smaller treest that were mostly oaks. All leftover from our tree planting jobs this spring. Next year I will probably put in an order and get what I *want* instead of what's leftover. But I needed to start somewhere. I figure it will take another 300-400 to finish the plantings around the pond. Now I need to find a smaller disc that I can pull behind the ol' WD. I've got a 2-bottom plow, but I *really* need a disc to put in plots. Thanks again for the suggestions. |
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Post by solohunter on May 13, 2006 7:10:04 GMT -5
I have an old drag behind disc..but i rented a nice 3 pt for 40 dollars this year. they are hard to find..
Solo
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Post by danf on May 13, 2006 13:41:05 GMT -5
I either need a pull-behind disc or one that I can convert to the "snap-coupler" method of attachment that the Allis Chalmers used. I've got my eye on a few pull-behinds, but I need to stop and talk to the people sometime and find out what they might take for them....
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Post by Free-Loader on May 13, 2006 22:11:39 GMT -5
Anyone know where you can rent a seed drill small enough for a ATV???
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Post by chicobrownbear on May 15, 2006 8:55:28 GMT -5
Thats a tough one. You may want to check into broad casting the seed and then running a small cultipacker over the ground.
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Post by parrothead on May 15, 2006 13:34:44 GMT -5
Have you checked the rental supply stores?
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Post by danf on May 15, 2006 16:07:53 GMT -5
I broadcast the BFO by hand last fall as they were too big to go through the push spreader I tried. I then used a piece of "I" beam drug behind the WD to get coverage. Discing again would have worked, but I didn't have the disc (and Dad's tractor) at that point.
Anyone know how well a rotary hoe would work to work the ground after plowing? My nieghbor has one just sitting on a junk pile that I'm sure I could talk him out of....
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Post by parrothead on May 16, 2006 7:02:28 GMT -5
I dont know how far away you guys are, but there is a used farming store between Seymour and Jennings Co. They have tons of stuff.
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Post by kbiddle on May 16, 2006 13:50:28 GMT -5
What is the name of the used farm store and do you have an address or website?
Thanks
Keivn
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Post by parrothead on May 17, 2006 7:30:38 GMT -5
IT is called Binghams
The owner is Bill Bingham
1505 S CO Rd 575 W North Vernon
346-4268
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Post by parrothead on May 18, 2006 13:51:31 GMT -5
In the Seymour paper tonight there is a3 point hitch pick up plow for sale for $100
523-7508 or 346-5412
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Post by danf on Jun 14, 2006 17:04:12 GMT -5
OK, I finally got some images from Google Earth and played with them. Here's an overall view of my area:  Now, the same image with some lines added to show my approximate property line (black), water (blue, d'uh!), fields cut for hay (red), and farm fields (lighter black lines). Most of the fields in my area will have beans in them this year. The two hay fields I have question marks in I'm not sure if either one or both of them are being cut, but I know they have been in the past. I don't know what the stand is, it could be orchard grass for all I know. My little patch is mostly grass, but is starting to get some clover in some areas. My nieghbor to the west (left of me in the pic) has mostly the same stand as me, but with *some* alfalfa in the mix. The furthest west hay field outlined is a mix of grass and alfalfa. The ones across the road to the north are mostly alfalfa, actually really good stands of alfalfa. Here's the image:  Closer in on my property, no lines added:  Same pic with some details outlined. Black is again property lines, blue is water. This time the green is where I had BFO sowed last fall. The red is where I'm attempting to get cleared for more plantings. I'm also attempting to dam off the small creek in the SE corner to create a water pool, it won't be overly large in area or depth. I'm planning on trying to create a small plot on the north side of that pool once it's done. Here's the pic:  Based on this info, any additional reccomendations anyone can give? Basically I just want to get the deer to stay around my little piece of the woods longer. As someone else said, get them to come to the candy store on the way back from the grocery store! Thanks! |
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Post by huxbux on Jun 14, 2006 20:50:22 GMT -5
Looks like you put quite a bit of time in there. Nice work! Like you, I don't hunt over my food plots, but rather, give the local herd some good munchies to intice them to do more than just pass through. I love to watch them through the spotting scope out the office window.
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Post by danf on Jun 15, 2006 19:00:58 GMT -5
Problem is that I don't have much area to hunt, so I'm planning on hunting over the plots at least part of the time.... Forgot to mention that my property is only 10.8 acres!
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I've also got about 1-1.5 acres that is grassy around my pond that I'd like to plant trees in. It may happen yet this spring, depending on how many seedlings we've got leftover from the 10k we're planting at work. At a minimum, I'll be able to bring some home and stick in here and there. It'll probably be a mix of some sort; oak, cherry, crab, maybe some hawthorn, pine, spruce, etc. Our woods is a SMALL part of a larger wooded area encompassing ~300-400 acres on 6-10 properties. I can post a Google Earth image if anyone needs to see the surrounding area. 
