Food Plots

[marketdawg]

Just tilled my food plots on our property this AM. Got my tiller/four wheeler stuck in our timber/duck hunting area (it looked plenty dry) and had to go get some help (jeep/winch) and ended up missing fan day at TECH. At least it wasn't very hot today:bigcry: I've really had a lot of success using rape (turnip) seed, mixed with winter wheat and hairy vetch. The deer absolutely tear the turnips up! I'm planting, liming, and fertilizing next Sunday. I've never had ANY success with that expensive crap supposedly designed for deer and have had only great success with the almost equal combo of vetch, wheat, and most importantly the rape seed. Any other suggestions on food plot ingredients before next weekend?

[PawDawg]

Just tilled my food plots on our property this AM. Got my tiller/four wheeler stuck in our timber/duck hunting area (it looked plenty dry) and had to go get some help (jeep/winch) and ended up missing fan day at TECH. At least it wasn't very hot today:bigcry: I've really had a lot of success using rape (turnip) seed, mixed with winter wheat and hairy vetch. The deer absolutely tear the turnips up! I'm planting, liming, and fertilizing next Sunday. I've never had ANY success with that expensive crap supposedly designed for deer and have had only great success with the almost equal combo of vetch, wheat, and most importantly the rape seed. Any other suggestions on food plot ingredients before next weekend?

Sounds like the school of hard knocks has already taught you the tricks. The common theme I hear is fertilizer. "Deer will walk by an unfertilized green field to get to a fertilized one. Like sugar on cereal" You must really love it to have been out in that heat last Sunday.

[SkeeterDawg]

I would reccommend planting Illinois Bundleflower - should be available from any supplier that sells native plant seeds. It is a legume, a native and very nutritiuos for all area wildlife. It is also somewhat tolerant to wetter sites. I have seen deer make trails through fertilized wheat patches to get to the naturally occurring bundleflower growing next to it. It is also very good for turkeys and quail if you have any. By the way, I am a wildlife biologist in case anybody is wondering if I know what I am talking about.

[marketdawg]

I would reccommend planting Illinois Bundleflower - should be available from any supplier that sells native plant seeds. It is a legume, a native and very nutritiuos for all area wildlife. It is also somewhat tolerant to wetter sites. I have seen deer make trails through fertilized wheat patches to get to the naturally occurring bundleflower growing next to it. It is also very good for turkeys and quail if you have any. By the way, I am a wildlife biologist in case anybody is wondering if I know what I am talking about.

Never heard of it but I will definitely check it out. Got turkeys as well but we've never hunted 'em. Our property is the site of the first release of relocated turkeys in North Louisiana when they first started the program. I have no idea how to call them as I'm more of a duck hunter. Saw a mom turkey with a bunch of smaller ones in the swamp this past trip. Thanks for the tip. Is Illinois Bundleflower supposed to be drilled or can I broadcast it over tilled earth and run a roller over it?

[Dirtydawg]

Never heard of it but I will definitely check it out. Got turkeys as well but we've never hunted 'em. Our property is the site of the first release of relocated turkeys in North Louisiana when they first started the program. I have no idea how to call them as I'm more of a duck hunter. Saw a mom turkey with a bunch of smaller ones in the swamp this past trip. Thanks for the tip. Is Illinois Bundleflower supposed to be drilled or can I broadcast it over tilled earth and run a roller over it?

Calm down, Choudawg. Calm down.

[Choudawg86]

Never heard of it but I will definitely check it out. Got turkeys as well but we've never hunted 'em. Our property is the site of the first release of relocated turkeys in North Louisiana when they first started the program. I have no idea how to call them as I'm more of a duck hunter. Saw a mom turkey with a bunch of smaller ones in the swamp this past trip. Thanks for the tip. Is Illinois Bundleflower supposed to be drilled or can I broadcast it over tilled earth and run a roller over it?

WE NEED TO TALKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK or discuss price :icon_wink:

the first place i ever new of them releasing turkeys was on D'arbonne creek within a couple of miles of our place.

[Choudawg86]

Calm down, Choudawg. Calm down.

I'm like all quivery all over. :icon_wink:

[marketdawg]

I'm just east of Taylortown in south Bossier just off of Red Chute Bayou.

[SkeeterDawg]

You can drill it, broadcast it, etc. If you plant it this late in the year, it probably won't come up till next spring. It is a perinneal though, and once you get it established, it will resprout every spring. It is a plant that is among the first colonizers in abandoned cropland, etc, so it may already be present. Here is a link with some pictures, etc: http://plants.usda.gov/java/nameSear...x=9&submit.y=9 For the duck hole, browntop millet that is planted this year, if allowed to seed out, will resprout next year. The good thing about this is that next year's crop is no longer the cultivated browntop millet, but is naturely occurring barnyard grass, and can be manipulated and hunted over without constituting baiting. A good source for native plant (and other) seeds is: http://www.turnerseed.com/site/Default.htm

[marketdawg]

We usually plant Japanese millet in the duck hole. Would browntop be a better choice?

[SkeeterDawg]

It's pretty close to the same thing, but browntop has a better chance of persisting and reseeding itself next year.

[shreveportdawg]

Buck Forage Oats

When it gets late the moon glows off of it and you can still see to shoot.

[marketdawg]

Buck Forage Oats

When it gets late the moon glows off of it and you can still see to shoot.

I have a buddy that swears by this stuff! He only plants a smal plot, however, and the deer mow it down almost immediately.

Hey skeeter, the turner seeds site indicates that they are out of the budleflower. Any other suggestions on where to buy? Do I need to adjust soil ph or any other specifics to go with the planting?

[GonzoDawg]

Market if you need some fertilizer for your food plot I have some that I can't use in my shop, I can also get lime wholesale, bout .03 a pound. We could probably work out a trade.

[marketdawg]

Market if you need some fertilizer for your food plot I have some that I can't use in my shop, I can also get lime wholesale, bout .03 a pound. We could probably work out a trade.

Sounds great but I'm already set for this year excepting some triple 13 for one last plot. I'll need about 100 lbs. I'll keep this in mind for next year as that is a fantastic price on lime. Do you use the pelletized or powder lime and why is fertilizer so much more expensive these days? The trip13 is almost as expensive as some of the seed!