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Post by henson59 on Feb 28, 2014 16:01:29 GMT -5
So does anybody have any big plans for any spring or fall food plots this year? Are you trying something new maybe or just sticking with what you have planted before?
In our case I really want to plant some beans but I am afraid our deer density is way to high for 1.5 acres even though we have 3 other plots that are about 3/4 acre each. We are a couple miles from the nearest ag field so I figure I will plant some Chicory and white clover in two plots and then try buckwheat and cow peas in another.
I will probably try the beans or sometime of mix to see what happens. Then come August I will till up the buckwheat and the beans and plant some fall brassica blends.
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Post by cougars48 on Mar 4, 2014 12:21:33 GMT -5
Try planting a late variety bean and leaving it thru winter. If we have a winter like this year and there is snow cover during any season it will draw the deer in heavy. Also if your putting in a fall plot I'd suggest Annaul Rye, red clover, and radish mix put planted in early Aug. Radishes will give great forage throughout season while the rye and clover will be back in the spring to give the deer an early and lasting food source.
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Post by joen on Mar 4, 2014 14:59:44 GMT -5
I have been thinking of planting some plum trees.
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Post by boonechaser on Mar 4, 2014 16:20:17 GMT -5
I try to add to mine each year. Currently have approx 10 to 12 acre's total. I plan on expanding my annual corn field from 2 acre's up to 4 acre's this year. My experience is that you are wasting your time on corn or soybean's on plot's less then 2 acre's as the deer will destroy them before they have time to establish themselves. The majority of my plot's are in imperial whitetail clover 4 acre's and 4 acre's alfalfa. The rest is corn with fall plot's of wheat,forage oat's and turnip's mixed together. The alfalfa get's alot of attention in summer month's. And corn late fall. I leave the corn standing untill late Nov then bushhog what's left, which is pretty much just the stalks. I try to give to give them as much varity as possible.
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Post by henson59 on Mar 5, 2014 13:36:18 GMT -5
Boonechaser do you bail your alfalfa or just mow it several times over the summer? I have considered planting about 3/4 acre of it to see how it does but I don't have a way to bail it. I have read you can just mow it every few weeks with a bushhog and that should be ok.
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Post by boonechaser on Mar 5, 2014 14:02:58 GMT -5
I square bale the alfalfa, but in 3 cutting's last year I only was able to get approx. 200 bales. Not uncommon to have 20 to 30 deer in the field every evening during the summer. Had 15 different buck's feeding 1 evening last summer!!! I do alot of video taping and that is where the bulk of it is done. (The ALFALFA is a magnet.) The field is more for the deer than it is to make money. But any income is better than none. I put the cash right back into it though for lime and fertilizer. You wouldn't have to bale and mowing will keep it fresh. But alfalfa is pretty expensive to maintain. I lime and fertilize at a rate of 200 lbs per acre both spring and fall so it cost appro $600.00 yr and I also spray for grass and weed's early spring. So the $1000 I make is pretty much a break even deal. But again it is primarily for the deer to have a high protein food source and the deer (Esp. buck's) use the field alot.
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Post by henson59 on Mar 6, 2014 9:49:22 GMT -5
Yeah I would only be looking to plant maybe 3/4 of an acre. My soild ph is at 7 so i am pretty good on that. I would need to add some fertilizer.
It's amazing to me how hard it is for me to come up with a plan on what I want to plant. We finally get a tractor and equipment and I am just to damn excited to figure out the best direction to go. I know the first few years are going to be trial and error for alot of things. I don't believe my 4 acres of plots is going to be the main food for the deer in my area but it sure can help out and thats what I want.
I will keep you guys updated on what I do. maybe post some pics
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Post by boonechaser on Mar 6, 2014 14:42:39 GMT -5
My imperial whitetail clover plot's last 6-7 year's and get a lot of use. You need to mow and fertilize and spray couple time's a year, but cost wise vs. benefit's would be my No.1 suggestion. (Deer use them year round.)
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Post by boonechaser on Mar 6, 2014 15:14:52 GMT -5
For just a straight nutrional plot for your local deer that can be used year round I would go with the imperial whitetail clover. I have tried mixing my own clover varities, but imperial whitetail clover seem's to do better and get more use. The plot's require limited maintenace (mowing, weed spraying, annual fertilizer). My experience tell's me that the alfalfa plot's are harder to establish and a little more expensive to maintain and are not quite as resistant as clover to over grazing by the deer. I believe whitetail institute offer's a clover/alfalfa mixture. Not sure the name of product and I havn't tried it though. For fall annual hunting/kill plot's you can not beat a mixture of forage oat's/wheat/turnips/rape. My suggestion would be not to hunt directly over the plot's, but back in the wood's 50 to 100 yd's. You are more apt to catch a good buck waiting for cover of darkness to enter food source. Good luck on whatever you decide to do. I get as much enjoyment of farming for deer and the whole process of watching them utilize the plot's as hunting itself. It turn's into a year round activity.
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Post by MuzzleLoader on Mar 6, 2014 15:45:54 GMT -5
Best thing I have found is leasing to a local farmer who rotates between corn and soybeans and plants winter wheat when crops are harvested. I just have to hunt. Good deal.
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Post by henson59 on Mar 6, 2014 16:09:59 GMT -5
Oh for sure we already have a clover patch thats about 1/2-3/4 acres and they hit it all year. When we had snow they dug holes to get to it. Our current patch is 5 years old. We will reseed and also increase the size this year 10 probably 1 full acre and mix in some chicory.
Last year we planted a kill plot using throw and grow extreme raddish and they kept it mowed down. I think we will expand on that and find a mix with some of the same stuff and just go bigger.
And to your point about sitting off the plots we actully have stands set up both on and off. Should be good to go.
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Post by boonechaser on Mar 10, 2014 20:27:48 GMT -5
Added a couple bucket's lucky buck deer mineral to my mineral lick's today. All 3 mineral site's are getting lot's of attention already. Will get trail cam's back out after 1st April.
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Post by boonechaser on Mar 10, 2014 20:27:58 GMT -5
Added a couple bucket's lucky buck deer mineral to my mineral lick's today. All 3 mineral site's are getting lot's of attention already. Will get trail cam's back out after 1st April.
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Post by henson59 on Mar 11, 2014 9:20:06 GMT -5
I actaully picked up a couple buckets from our Rural King store here in IL. I plan on heading down to our place this weekend to put it out on some old sites and do a little more shed hunting. Looks like its going to be a great weekend.
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Post by henson59 on Mar 11, 2014 15:43:44 GMT -5
Also ordered some Monster Raxx today so I will have to see which one the deer like better. Hopefully they both get the job done!
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Post by boonechaser on Apr 1, 2014 21:43:27 GMT -5
Spent the day fertilizing hay and food plots.
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Post by henson59 on Apr 3, 2014 10:34:51 GMT -5
I got our large pasture mowed down 2 weeks ago. Probably going to spray it the last weekend of April then till it up when the soil is dry enough some time in early May.
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Post by boonechaser on Apr 4, 2014 16:04:31 GMT -5
Met with our county ext agent today and got information on what assistance is available. Am to have rep from dept of forestry meet with me about putting wooded acreage into the classified forest program and to help me with a timber management program as well as some tree replanting and invasive speice's spraying. Also got signed up for a hay reseeding program that is available. Said he would make wildlife enhancement suggestion's after walking the farm. Cost for service?? Zero
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Post by henson59 on Apr 7, 2014 13:08:25 GMT -5
I like that.
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Post by throbak on Apr 7, 2014 13:14:42 GMT -5
Check out watershed programs Boone Talk with Katie at the SWCD office in VeVay
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