Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 33

Thread: Early Spring Food Plots

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Posts
    11,021

    Default Early Spring Food Plots

    Yup, he's crazy...


    like a fox. The dude may be coming in a little too hard and crazy but 90% of everything he says is correct.

    Sort of like Toof. But way smarter.
    ~Scatter Shot

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Posts
    11,021

    Default

    Yup, he's crazy...


    like a fox. The dude may be coming in a little too hard and crazy but 90% of everything he says is correct.

    Sort of like Toof. But way smarter.
    ~Scatter Shot

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Moncks Corner
    Posts
    1,264

    Default

    What do you have planted in the pines?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Posts
    11,021

    Default

    It would have been the same mix anywhere. Some more so than others, but fairly equal parts.

    There are some strait rape/radish plots but I didnt go that way today.

    These would have been

    Rape
    Radish
    white clover
    red clover
    arrow head clover
    winter peas
    "forage oat"
    some wheat/oats as a filler. Those are awfully small seeds so in order to make it work we had to subsidize the planter with a constant mix hence the filler. Seems to work well as a fast and long acting mix.


    Some of these plots are 2/3 years being seeded with clover varieties.

    That stuff in the pines has a terrible pH but I cant get a spreader in there with Lime, if you're referring to the site pines with a black feeder at the end.

    Now tomorrow I will get picks of one of the other ends which is in pines but has been aired open limed. It's about 5 years in rotation (out of pines) and is starting to turn out some pretty crops!

    We have found for growing deer long road ways in and around properties provide lots of area for deer to feed with out pressure, and less over browsing in high density areas. The larger plots are great for harvesting and spring summer when they are bunched up. Late winter they are so jumpy giving them room to sprawl out seems to help the become more comfy and uptake much needed nutrients!
    Yup, he's crazy...


    like a fox. The dude may be coming in a little too hard and crazy but 90% of everything he says is correct.

    Sort of like Toof. But way smarter.
    ~Scatter Shot

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    28,024

    Default

    These cats put the work in and it always shows

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Posts
    11,021

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by ecu1984 View Post
    These cats put the work in and it always shows
    Please, you're ruining my reputation.

    I may loose a few parishioners over at the cyber wailing wall, praying for immortal soul, or my glue supply may be cut off!


    I am curious to get over to the other track, to see that clover. I heard it was looking really good, per my partner & camera pics. I havent been in there lately as it has been so wet, and I didnt want to get stuck, and my self and my 2 little helpers cant all fit on a four wheeler!

    The 3rd track is all sand but grows the heck out of some beans for some reason. I cant wait to get it disced and planted with beans for the summer!

    I would rather the clover keep going, but I know what will happen when it turns hot hot. I've got enough beans coming to plant when they die out. Hard browse can be as bad as no browse at times if there is plenty of young growth available. This is not desirable if you're trying to get as much digestible protein in the deer system as possible. As the deer will migrate to more tender, but less nutrient/protein dense browse. If it all plays out I will only be down about 2 weeks and hopefully protein and some strips can carry them through, till I can get the buffet back out for them!

    Is anyone else seeing an early growth spirt? My dogs looked green when I got back home to them today. The pollen is unreal already this year.

    Yes, that little RR is the one I brought back from Tx. She has grown like a weed these past 3.5 weeks. She has already found 2 sheds in my front yard! Best sniffer RR I've had in a long time. She is at that age were they get goofy looking for a few months with longer legs than their body is tall. My little man loves her! She has fallen right in with the entire family! Even Red Zeppelin will let her sleep on the bed now.

    I know we learned an awful lot about hog hunting during the trial today, but my turkeys must be cross breading. If you look at one of those pics they have "rooted" up multiple holes. I know they are scratching. I'm assuming they are digging for peanuts that I had planted last spring in that area. Because it is much deeper than I'm use to with regular chufa!
    Last edited by Silentweapon338; 02-28-2023 at 10:21 PM.
    Yup, he's crazy...


    like a fox. The dude may be coming in a little too hard and crazy but 90% of everything he says is correct.

    Sort of like Toof. But way smarter.
    ~Scatter Shot

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Fair Play
    Posts
    1,945

    Default

    Impressive. Wish I had the time to make a fraction of that happen on our property.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Gobbler's Knob, GA/ Bamberg,SC
    Posts
    21,442

    Default

    Damn fine work.

    We still put wire cage excluders on some of our most heavily utilized plots- to prove to the naysayers how much food a well managed plot produces.
    F**K Cancer

    Just Damn.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Moncks Corner
    Posts
    1,264

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Silentweapon338 View Post
    It would have been the same mix anywhere. Some more so than others, but fairly equal parts.

    There are some strait rape/radish plots but I didnt go that way today.

    These would have been

    Rape
    Radish
    white clover
    red clover
    arrow head clover
    winter peas
    "forage oat"
    some wheat/oats as a filler. Those are awfully small seeds so in order to make it work we had to subsidize the planter with a constant mix hence the filler. Seems to work well as a fast and long acting mix.


    Some of these plots are 2/3 years being seeded with clover varieties.

    That stuff in the pines has a terrible pH but I cant get a spreader in there with Lime, if you're referring to the site pines with a black feeder at the end.

    Now tomorrow I will get picks of one of the other ends which is in pines but has been aired open limed. It's about 5 years in rotation (out of pines) and is starting to turn out some pretty crops!

    We have found for growing deer long road ways in and around properties provide lots of area for deer to feed with out pressure, and less over browsing in high density areas. The larger plots are great for harvesting and spring summer when they are bunched up. Late winter they are so jumpy giving them room to sprawl out seems to help the become more comfy and uptake much needed nutrients!
    Looks good for sure

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    GREENWOOD
    Posts
    6,348

    Default

    So I have been thinking about trying to get clover established in several of my plots. Reading online you just CANT beat it for a food plot.

    My only question is, once its established, how do you or do you even add to it for fall plots? I know you have to spray and mow it, but if I wanted to add oats, wheat or winter peas how would I?

    I obviously do NOT want to go plow it all under
    I am a nobody, that met somebody, that can save anybody.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    GREENWOOD
    Posts
    6,348

    Default

    Oh and beautiful food plots btw. Great job
    I am a nobody, that met somebody, that can save anybody.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Moncks Corner
    Posts
    1,264

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by quack head 11 View Post
    So I have been thinking about trying to get clover established in several of my plots. Reading online you just CANT beat it for a food plot.

    My only question is, once its established, how do you or do you even add to it for fall plots? I know you have to spray and mow it, but if I wanted to add oats, wheat or winter peas how would I?

    I obviously do NOT want to go plow it all under
    Clover does well being overseeded into fall annuals. Wont see much growth until spring but by then roots should be well established.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Mar 2002
    Location
    Columbia, SC
    Posts
    2,878

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by quack head 11 View Post
    So I have been thinking about trying to get clover established in several of my plots. Reading online you just CANT beat it for a food plot.

    My only question is, once its established, how do you or do you even add to it for fall plots? I know you have to spray and mow it, but if I wanted to add oats, wheat or winter peas how would I?

    I obviously do NOT want to go plow it all under
    Good looking plots. In the Durana clover that I have, I just broadcast IMMEDIATELY BEFORE a big rain in Sept/Oct at a rate of about 70lbs per acre of Oats or Wheat.
    Last edited by Sasha and Abby; 03-01-2023 at 09:04 AM.
    "If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die, I want to go where they went."
    Will Rogers

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    GREENWOOD
    Posts
    6,348

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Sasha and Abby View Post
    Good looking plots. In the Durana clover that I have, I just broadcast IMMEDIATELY BEFORE a big rain in Sept/Oct at a rate of about 70lbs per acre of Oats or Wheat.
    I gotcha, so just sew it into the standing clover and let the rian beat it in. I figured that would be the case unless its drill in, but I dont have a drill soooo
    I am a nobody, that met somebody, that can save anybody.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Posts
    11,021

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by quack head 11 View Post
    So I have been thinking about trying to get clover established in several of my plots. Reading online you just CANT beat it for a food plot.

    My only question is, once its established, how do you or do you even add to it for fall plots? I know you have to spray and mow it, but if I wanted to add oats, wheat or winter peas how would I?

    I obviously do NOT want to go plow it all under
    We never spray or mow. The deer will mow it. We will turn some of it in early summer, the rest late summer along with the early plots and replant the winter in early Sept. We have been adding clover every year, and what you see is what is established in the soil along with the new seeds.

    I've got one plot in particular that hasn't been planted with clover in 4/5 years now? I cant remember. It gets utilized for a large winter or summer plot depending on what the farmer plants that spring. It still has clover coming back, and it gets turned under at least once a year. So if it is established when you turn it good chance it will come back.

    I quit with the cages. It makes one more thing to run over in the dark while I'm txting Tooth at 1am singing in the tractor!

    I need to check with Santee11. Now that Covid seems to be in the rearview mirror, it may be time to start cultivating and harvesting some seeds and possibly have some Buck Grass ready to sell by next year!
    Yup, he's crazy...


    like a fox. The dude may be coming in a little too hard and crazy but 90% of everything he says is correct.

    Sort of like Toof. But way smarter.
    ~Scatter Shot

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Gobbler's Knob, GA/ Bamberg,SC
    Posts
    21,442

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by quack head 11 View Post
    I gotcha, so just sew it into the standing clover and let the rian beat it in. I figured that would be the case unless its drill in, but I dont have a drill soooo
    Clover seed is so small, you merely need to make sure the seed makes contact with the soil. It will take off if it gets rain.
    F**K Cancer

    Just Damn.

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Gobbler's Knob, GA/ Bamberg,SC
    Posts
    21,442

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Silentweapon338 View Post
    We never spray or mow. The deer will mow it. We will turn some of it in early summer, the rest late summer along with the early plots and replant the winter in early Sept. We have been adding clover every year, and what you see is what is established in the soil along with the new seeds.

    I've got one plot in particular that hasn't been planted with clover in 4/5 years now? I cant remember. It gets utilized for a large winter or summer plot depending on what the farmer plants that spring. It still has clover coming back, and it gets turned under at least once a year. So if it is established when you turn it good chance it will come back.

    I quit with the cages. It makes one more thing to run over in the dark while I'm txting Tooth at 1am singing in the tractor!

    I need to check with Santee11. Now that Covid seems to be in the rearview mirror, it may be time to start cultivating and harvesting some seeds and possibly have some Buck Grass ready to sell by next year!
    I get it about the cages. However , we have a couple guys who love to hunt foodplots, but don't want to pay for the seed, Fertilizer, Labor , etc. The complaints in December are - " look at the foodplots, they aren't growing" In reality , its browsing pressure. One exclusion cage sure proves the case for food production.
    F**K Cancer

    Just Damn.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Posts
    11,021

    Default

    Gotcha.

    Yea...shut up or put up. Food plots are a labor of love. There is nothing easy or cheap about them if done properly. They do seem to be the over all best ethos to get digestible nutrient rich foods in the deer. Obviously protein pellets would be the highest, but you dont reach as many deer as with food plots. And you talk about cost prohibitive. I have my own blend down in Orangeburge. I know everything has gone up, but dang. That stuff is outrageous. It was/is a luxury item, but man.....it's hard to justify right now
    Yup, he's crazy...


    like a fox. The dude may be coming in a little too hard and crazy but 90% of everything he says is correct.

    Sort of like Toof. But way smarter.
    ~Scatter Shot

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Jun 2021
    Location
    Kershaw South Carolina
    Posts
    1,918

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by nitro5x6's View Post
    I get it about the cages. However , we have a couple guys who love to hunt foodplots, but don't want to pay for the seed, Fertilizer, Labor , etc. The complaints in December are - " look at the foodplots, they aren't growing" In reality , its browsing pressure. One exclusion cage sure proves the case for food production.
    I've seen people brag about how high their clover is that just means the deer ain't eating it.

  20. #20
    MC's Avatar
    MC is offline Daydreamer Extraordinaire
    Join Date
    Mar 2002
    Location
    Columbia
    Posts
    1,633

    Default

    I agree that once you get clover established you just about can't get rid of it without a concerted herbicide effort whether it is annual or perennial clover. I don't think you could plow it out unless you bottom plowed the plot.

    I've got a few perennial plots with a mix of Durana and LS1 clover that do well, but most of my clover is annual species (crimson, arrowleaf, balansa) that put on more growth during hunting season. I let them seed out in the spring and after a few years there is so much clover seed in the seedbank I often don't have to add any clover in the fall.

    This is a combination of annual clovers that all came back from the seedbank last fall. All I did was broadcast oats, fertilizer and lime and ran over it with the disk once to turn the seed, lime and fertilizer in followed by a cultipacker.
    A.jpg
    This is a mix of Durana and LS1 perennial clovers and some crimson clover that gets disked each fall and has been burned in the winter a couple times. The pine straw that falls after disking and sowing the oats is thick enough to carry fire in February. I let it grow up in the summer and it turns into an impressive stand of ragweed.
    B.jpg

    Same stand in July after the whole plot was burned in February. The clover keeps coming back. It's pretty tough stuff.
    C.jpg
    Last edited by MC; 03-01-2023 at 10:44 AM.

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •