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Post by boonechaser on Apr 7, 2011 10:51:12 GMT -5
Ok so we are redoing all our food plots. (6 Acre's in total) 4.5 will be in imperial whitetail clover. Have had great success with their clover and plot's have lasted 6 season's. The other 1.5 acre's we want to plant with something deer will like and that we can till up this fall and plat turnip's in to hunt over. I've heard that deer really like sunflower's and that they are high in protein so I want to give them a try on the 1.5 acre's. I see 50 lb bag's at Orschlen's for like $20.00 buck's for bird seed. Can I plant that??? Or do I need another varity.
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Post by featherduster on Apr 7, 2011 12:13:47 GMT -5
Several years ago I planted approx.3 acres of sunflowers hoping to have a dove shoot.
The field I planted them in had last been farmed about 2 years before. I purchased the seed from the local grain elevator and all I did was disc the ground real good and hand spread the seeds with one of those spreaders you wear around your neck.
The flowers grew like wildfire however........before dove season arrived the yellow finches cleaned me out.
Yes deer love to eat the young plants.
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Post by drs on Apr 7, 2011 13:24:47 GMT -5
A waste of money.
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Post by featherduster on Apr 7, 2011 18:03:56 GMT -5
drs: I agree 100%
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Post by throbak on Apr 7, 2011 19:41:03 GMT -5
BUCK WHEAT
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Post by drs on Apr 8, 2011 5:03:28 GMT -5
Unless you're growing a large amount, with several acres of ground; your sunflower plants will never make it to maturity. Because they will be consumed by the time they produce seeds. Also Storms, high winds, & late freezes will take them out as well. A better crop, with proper soil, would be grain sorghum, or a native grasses. Personally I like to encourage native plants, already growing there, as they would be more successful. Rather then spending money on Sunflowers. |
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Post by parrothead on Apr 8, 2011 5:56:15 GMT -5
I tried several times over several years with not luck. Gone before dove season. I now just use wheat for my dove plot. A week before season I will go out and bushhog some of it down and they are all over it.l
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Post by hornharvester on Apr 26, 2011 9:00:24 GMT -5
Plant soybeans. Deer will keep them browsed down then in August till them up and plant turnips. h.h.
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Post by drs on Apr 26, 2011 9:40:15 GMT -5
Plant soybeans. Deer will keep them browsed down then in August till them up and plant turnips. h.h. A type or mixture of perennial grasses, matched to your soil type & pH, would be better and cheaper in the long run. But soybeans and turnips would work as well but would need to be replanted each year. |
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Post by hornharvester on Apr 27, 2011 1:19:26 GMT -5
Plant soybeans. Deer will keep them browsed down then in August till them up and plant turnips. h.h. A type or mixture of perennial grasses, matched to your soil type & pH, would be better and cheaper in the long run. But soybeans and turnips would work as well but would need to be replanted each year. His question was about planting something the deer would eat and then plowing it up and plant turnips this fall........hard to beat soybeans for that. I have yet to see perennial grasses work better than a grain crop of some kind. h.h. |
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Post by drs on Apr 27, 2011 5:43:53 GMT -5
[quote author=hornharvester board=habitat thread=37364 post=299223 time=1303885166[/quote]His question was about planting something the deer would eat and then plowing it up and plant turnips this fall........hard to beat soybeans for that. I have yet to see perennial grasses work better than a grain crop of some kind. h.h.[/quote]
For years I've encouraging the cultivation of grasses & native vegetation, which Deer perfer to browse on. Found this very successful for my management concerning Deer & other species. Soybeans & other "Crops" are fine if you have several acres, on a working grain farm. Grasses and such are better inthat they require less care than trying to grow field crops which require much more effort, for just one year.
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Post by steiny on Apr 27, 2011 16:50:50 GMT -5
I had similar experience with sunflowers.
Think about soybeans. Good summer browse, then they eat the beans in the winter.
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Post by drs on Apr 28, 2011 5:51:13 GMT -5
I had similar experience with sunflowers. Think about soybeans. Good summer browse, then they eat the beans in the winter. Like I said, Soybeans are okay IF you have several acres being farmed for that particular crop. If you're just planting an acre or two, the Deer will eat it up in a month. Same for corn too. |
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Post by hornharvester on Apr 28, 2011 12:46:41 GMT -5
The other 1.5 acre's we want to plant with something deer will like and that we can till up this fall and plat turnip's in to hunt over.
DRS.....what part of this question don't you understand? The man doesn't want to plant something perennial, he wants a short growth summer crop and then plant turnips in AUGUST.... IF he had said he wanted a perennial then your answer would have some merit. Soybeans will work great for what he wants to do. Please read someones question before you start arguing your answer is the right one. h.h.
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Post by drs on Apr 28, 2011 13:30:39 GMT -5
The other 1.5 acre's we want to plant with something deer will like and that we can till up this fall and plat turnip's in to hunt over.DRS.....what part of this question don't you understand? The man doesn't want to plant something perennial, he wants a short growth summer crop and then plant turnips in AUGUST.... IF he had said he wanted a perennial then your answer would have some merit. Soybeans will work great for what he wants to do. Please read someones question before you start arguing your answer is the right one. h.h. HH; I did understand what the author of this thread was wanting. I was trying to suggest options. I think I know more about this subject of Food Plots than the average person here including you. Now if you or anyone else want to plant soybeans or whatever that will only last one year instead of trying to plant something more long term then go ahead. I was just trying to be helpful. |
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Post by danf on Apr 28, 2011 18:39:58 GMT -5
Sunflowers will work fine if you plant them at the appropriate time to be ready for dove season. My cousin wanted to be married in the pasture behind my parents house several years ago on September 1 and wanted sunflowers blooming in the background. September 1 came and they were still in full bloom. The wedding was delayed for a few weeks due to an accident (a whole 'nother story), but the next weekend there were a few doves shot out of the pasture. If you have decent timing on the planting end, you should be OK for doves. Just make sure you know how long it takes for the sunflowers to mature and count back on the calendar accordingly.  |
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Post by hornharvester on Apr 29, 2011 3:03:35 GMT -5
The other 1.5 acre's we want to plant with something deer will like and that we can till up this fall and plat turnip's in to hunt over.DRS.....what part of this question don't you understand? The man doesn't want to plant something perennial, he wants a short growth summer crop and then plant turnips in AUGUST.... IF he had said he wanted a perennial then your answer would have some merit. Soybeans will work great for what he wants to do. Please read someones question before you start arguing your answer is the right one. h.h. HH; I did understand what the author of this thread was wanting. I was trying to suggest options. I think I know more about this subject of Food Plots than the average person here including you. Now if you or anyone else want to plant soybeans or whatever that will only last one year instead of trying to plant something more long term then go ahead. I was just trying to be helpful.You just dont get it do you......  h.h. |
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Post by drs on Apr 29, 2011 5:40:42 GMT -5
You just dont get it do you...... h.h.[/quote] Correction! ~ YOU don't understand <Period> So go ahead and spend your money on a concept that won't work, in the long OR Short term. These small food plots of < 1 acre are more of an attempt to "Bait" Deer & other game animales, than to actually create a suitable habitat for them & other species of Wildlife. The planting of suitable grasses and encouraging the growth of suitable native vegetation, is much more practical. |
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Post by hornharvester on Apr 29, 2011 20:08:54 GMT -5
I plant 10 - 12 food or bait plots a year so it works for me. Plant what you want in yours and I'll do the same but when someone asks a specific question please just try and answer what they ask. h.h.
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Post by drs on Apr 30, 2011 6:04:27 GMT -5
I plant 10 - 12 food or bait plots a year so it works for me. Plant what you want in yours and I'll do the same but when someone asks a specific question please just try and answer what they ask. h.h. So you "Bait" your game, then. I am surprised, as I don't think baiting game animals is very sporting at all. I for one don't have to rely on "baiting" to bag my Game, never have or never will, and I've been quite successful. |
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