food plot prep

[BLACKJACK]

Codeman, I went thru Elrosa last night and was able to pick up some 9-23-30 in 67 pound bags, thats what I'll use on my clover spots.

[roosterslayer]

The weeds are getting sprayed today, and all the plots will be plowed and disked this weekend, and i will be putting in lime and pot ash in and disking that under, then on Memorial weekend i am hoping to get all three plots planted, and then i will put two more in, in August.

[bigbucks]

Code-Man, maybe I've asked you this before, but do I know you? If you work with the coop you probably know someone who now works with me that used to work their, depending on how long you've worked with them.

Here's a question for you or other guys. I've got about a 20 acre hayfield next to my woods, which is about 25 acres counting my neighbors. I've got several logging trails that I've made in the woods. I'd like to plant some of them, if not all of them eventually into something that would be more of an attractant than alfalfa, there's a lot of hayfields near me. I was thinking about tilling it up in June & working it over the summer & then planting oats for fall, but I'm not sure how well that would grow in the woods. It's high ground, that's well drained & pretty sandy. The trails are anywhere from 7-15' even 20' wide in some places.

[Code-Man]

I just moved to town here. Only been here since Jan. If your looking for possible something to fill up those logging trails we carry all of the Antler King Products and they make some big bags which save a lot of money per acre then the little ones. We have a 3 acre bag 25 lbs I think. It has 6 differnt seeds in it 5 are perenials at our Coop. If there is a product on Antler King's Website you like we are an official dealer and if you order through us you wont be charged for shipping and handeling. If your looking for something to fill the trails your probable not going to be able to get something like Corn/Beans established but you might be able to get clover/grasses mixture and get it established and see what you want to do. If you want to chit chat with me I'm in the office 60% of the time now and I'd be willing to chit chat with you as long as you don't get discouraged because of my age. Had some customers come in and see how old I am and then left. But we do have some products that would work for you but I think a clover/grass mixes that would be your best bet depending on what things look like. Again if you want to chit chat with me come in to the Coop and ask for Cody.

Thanks

Code-Man

[Nova]

Question about round up ready corn. How often can you spray it with round up and when is the best time to spray it. I was thinking mid june for the first spraying, but would like to hit it once more if necessary. Is it ok to spray it more than once if needed?

[BLACKJACK]

I'm going to have the local cenex spray mine and the guy said to call him when the corn hits 8 inches tall.

Several years ago I had some round-up ready corn and because of rain and bigger customers they didn't get to my place until the corn was close to waist high and the weeds were a foot taller, once they sprayed the weeds they didn't die but they were set back so bad that the corn took off and it ended up being a great food plot. That RR corn is great stuff!!!

[iffwalleyes]

Code-Man what do you have for fertilizer at the Coop without Nitrogen need some for my plots? I might have to have my dad swing in there and get some from ya some day.

[Code-Man]

Hopefully this post makes sense. It's 9:40 and I just got home...was there at work from 6 am till now. Fertilizer without Nitrogen. On hand were limited...don't waste your trip over here. I can get anyone anything bagged as long as it's a decent amount .5 ton or more. Have to get it bagged in Elrosa but can get it done if a big enough amount is needed. We have some products on hand I think a 10-10-28 or 38...LONG DAY. Otherwise depending on how much you need we can do bulk. We put 1/2 to 1 ton in gravity box or you can usually get 5 gallon buckets also for small amounts. We usually have 40 lb bags of potash in stock but were out I believe. We will be ordering more but we do have a few mixtures and I wish I could remember them because each bag 67lbs is 14 bucks a bag and one has a higher nitrogen and one with higher potash numbers. I know I really am mumbling but depending on how much you need I can try to do some bags otherwise we do have some mixtures on hand but everything but the bagged potash (10 bucks). We'll be ordering more in shortly but just a matter of time. But if there is something special you want blended or can handle bulk which is the cheapest 20-30 bucks cheaper per ton. I did have some customers this year that were doing food plots that had a tractor with a PTO shaft rent our pull behind spreaders. 1.50 an acre rental and we put bulk in the back. so might be an option.

[Cooter]

Talk about perfect timing! Planted a small in-woods plot on Sat and early Sun morning the area got .75" of rain. Good chance for some more today and tonight. Had tilled up about half of the plot, rye planted last fall, a week and half ago. No weeds, what a miracle! Tilled up the other half Sat, that rye was a foot tall. Put in some pea patch which has peas, beans, plus sunflowers for the peas to grow on - hope it turns out, good start so far!

On the other hand deer have been nibbling my apple trees plus one of them had a big nest of those darn tent caterpillars Got rid of them with minimal leaf damage.

[Nova]

Finally the two plots at home are in making 6 plots total...I should have been a farmer Time to concentrate on fishing now and let mother nature take care of things. I could use some rain though

[roosterslayer]

Heres one for you guys. I have all the plots ready to go and will be planting on Memorial weekend. I owners of the property recieved a letter from Pope county saying that they have banned all perennial food plots. so now i am stuck, I was going to plant two perennial plots and two annual plots. now all four have to be annual, this is going to make for alot more work in the future replanting every year and is some what disappointing.

[Mark Christianson]

What the heck is that about???

But farmers can plant perrenials?

Wow. Thats just odd.

[BLACKJACK]

Quote:

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Pope county saying that they have banned all perennial food plots

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I'm guessing that these are food plots on CRP acres or other goverment subsidized acres. They wouldn't have any control over regular farm ground or spots that guys are tilling up in the woods. It would be nice to hear their reasoning why they're banning perenial plots??! I feel your pain, annual spots do get to be a lot more expensive and time consumming!

[Mark Christianson]

I checked the Pope County website, and I found nothing at all in regards to food plot restrictions. Not that it would be there for sure, but there is something more to this I think, as Blackjack mentioned.

[roosterslayer]

I think it does have to do with the CRP, they also said that we can have no more then 3 acres of food plots.

[Code-Man]

Some counties are trying to crack down on the enforecment of Food plots in CRP. First the government is paying the farmer to put natural grasses in and they pay for the seed to a partial and then you dig it up and plant something that isn't a natural perenial...kinda defeats the purpose of having the natural grasses. People start arguing and well they are paying you to keep it in grass...either quit being paid for and put your food plots in or follow the rules that you signed up for. Sorry if I seem harsh but when the govt is paying for seed and application in some instances and then they are paying you a fixed income without you putting any inputs into it and tax write offs are available I think the govt can put some regulations down. Just getting really tired of farmers getting all these govt checks and then whinning when they can't do what they want.

[BFT]

It sounds like one big bait station to me , something that draws animals to a certain spot , and have it come down to a routine , and then harvest them while their coming like a trained monkey , and their griping about a pail of apples ?

I'll hunt the way my father , and grandfather hunted , the fair chase way !! Just my 2 cents worth !!

BFT

[Nova]

when you say hunt like your father and grandfather, do you mean next to a corn or bean feild or in the oak trees when the acorns are falling. Difference is these plots are left year around for the animals not harvested.

[roosterslayer]

Nova, thats just what i was going to say, I suppose in order to hunt the fair chase way that means not hunting around any food sources at all, or trails. Cause trails the deer use all the time and sitting trails would be unethical. Now maybe someone can teach me to hunt the fair chase way cause without hunting food sources, how do you hunt deer??

[Mark Christianson]

I hope anyone that is hunting like their grandfather is also using an old British 303 with iron sights too.

Nova and Rooster hit exactly the point I always try to make.

Just because I plant corn with intentions of wildlife to eat it, makes it wrong? Yet the guy next door that has corn, alfalfa, beans, etc intentionally planted for harvest/profit, he is completely ethical to hunt over his candy?

Not one bit of difference between the two at all in my eyes.

PS - my great grandfather hunted this same land that I do today, and happened to sit on the corner of the field out behind the barn. My stand is within yards of his historical stand location according to my grandfather.

So I like to think I am hunting like my father, grandfather AND great grandfather.

[BLACKJACK]

codeman, I know that when I signed up for CRP there were provisions that said I could put in food plots, but there were some size limitations, like up to 5% of the field or if the field was less than 5 acres, you could put the whole field in a food plot. I even got a higher ranking because by agreeing to establish a food plot, I was enhancing the wildlife benifits. Tree plantings will also give you a higher ranking.

What doesn't make sense about the Pope county regulation is that by requiring annual plots, they're requiring tillage every year, which increases the chances of erosion. If a person puts in clover, you're only tilling it up every 4-5 years.

To those of you that think that food plots make it unfair hunting - you still have to hunt them. The deer are still going to be checking the wind and watching for danger, just as if they were going into a oak tree/acorns or a corn field. Baiting concentrates the deer at one specific spot where food plots bring the deer into an area. If your food plot is too small, the deer will clean it out in a hurry and it will have little drawing power. So then you do bigger food plots, which makes it like hunting a corn/soybean/alfalfa field.

I think where food plots help is to 1) keep the deer coming into your hunting area rather than two miles down the road 2) provides them with added nutrition (antlers!) during the growing season

3) provides them with winter survival food. Even if its not a tough winter, it gets them thru in better shape, faster growth in the spring, healthier fawns, etc.

[Paradice]

If you don't have equipment to rip up the soil, roundup and a mower will be your best friend. You won't be able to plant large seeds like beans, cowpeas, corn or sorghum, but you can still make a magnet with august planted oats or july planted Tetraploid Ryegrass. Try a bag of "Easyplot" from Evolved Habitats. They are about the only one's who carry the right ryegrass.

Round up your area, wait a week or two, and then clear it. If It's grass, seed in your oats and/or ryegrass before you mow. The little bit of chopped material will do enough to hold moisture to get the seeds germinated without tilling and still allow them to grow through.

[jltimm]

Thanks for the advice, I've got to get to it here soon, I might be able to get a tractor with a 5' tiller on it so that should do the trick.

[UdeLakeTom]

So how small is too small....I have a bag of easyplot that saysit will do 1/2 acre. Is 1/2 acre big enough?

[jltimm]

I started the tilling process and was wondering if the experts out there recommend fertilizer of any sort before I plant? The soil all looks to be good black topsoil in a powerline clearing.

[Code-Man]

If your looking for fertilizing it is great to have the land tilled up fertilize and work it in once before planting so not to lose your fertilizer. If you let urea sit on top and not catch a rain shower you will lose it to evaporation. Worth your time to work in the fertilizer. Corn look for mainly something with a lot of N but if your looking for soybeans look for some potash and k-mag. if you can rent a pull behind spreader 0-0-71-11s-5.5mg is a great recepie. 100 pounds of potash and 50 pounds of K-Mag.

Food plot size is all about the area and situation. Can't say it has to be X amount of acres. my step dad's food plot was 1/2 acrea. another was smaller. just something to stop them for a better quality shot. My main food plot was 1.5 acreas. so it all depends on the situation.

[BFT]

So your saying , that by planting a pumpkin patch out in the woods , it should be legal to hunt over it , but carry a half dozen from your garden , and its a crime ? I'm not against food plots , I'm just curious what makes a difference? People that hunt state land these days , don't have a chance if the private landowner has a bait field next to it , is that fair? Also , the part that one guy said about antler growth , is'nt that like giving them steroids ? For that other guys info , I hunt with a recurve , with no sights or releases on it !! And yes , I have a few bucks on the wall , but now might be iffe if I would mount another , cause I would'nt know if it got big because of its age , genes ,and being smart , or if it was stuck with chemicals to enlarge it ( Look what they did in baseball if you took anything to promote your growth) So you can slam me thinking i'm against foodplots , but I'm not , i'm just flustered people think that it's not baiting , which even a local warden agreed , but says it won't change cause of politics , but we won't go there today !! LOL !! Remember , I'm not trying to start a argument , just wondering why people think it's different ???

BFT

[BLACKJACK]

UDE LAKE TOM, a 1/2 acre plot would be great. At certain times the deer will love it, depending upon what you plant. The point I was trying to make earlier about small plots was that they will probaly get cleaned out in a a hurry and that people that compare it to baiting are spreading lies, because where feed is dumped for a long period of time (baiting) will attract deer for a long period where small food plots will be gone in a short time.

[BFT]

The food plots that are planted , most of them last through the hunting season , and into the winter , and if they don't last through the winter , it hurts the deer more than it helps them ! Let me show you > You plant a plot , a nice one may I add , up in the big woods , and you have twenty deer feeding on it into the winter , but it runs out cause its only enough food for ten . 3 feet of snow on the ground , and no food to be found , cause they put there marbles in one bag , now what ? They have to travel miles to find another food source . If they would'nt have that food to keep them there, they would have traveled earlier in the winter, and found a food source that has kept the herd fed for years! Back to the point , take a bag of seed you buy for a food plot , and because in some states its not against the law to bait , it says how it attracts animals in , so you can harvest them ? What don't you understand ? Remember , I'm not against food plots , just the issue that it's not baiting?? Its there in print !!!

Here is a Add from one >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Biologic Hot Spot

Remote stands often provide the best opportunity for spotting mature bucks . Without the ability to utilize machine cultivators or heavy amounts of soil additives, establishing a planting off the beaten trail can be challenging at best. The solution is Hot Spot — a scientifically selected blend of winter peas and buckwheat designed to be fast-germinating, extremely attractive to deer and incredibly easy to plant, thanks to our revolutionary new shaker bag design. No soil-tilling is required; simply clear the ground and apply the seed right from the specialized shaker bag over a 20-yard by 20-yard area. Ideal for planting near treestands and in woodland clearings — and for luring pressured bucks that shun high traffic locations.

Now you tell me that its not baiting ?

[BFT]

Blackjack , no one is spreading lies , it's just the way the law reads >> Baiting is when you put a grain , produce or somthing like it , out there to attract a animal to a certain area , so it can be harvested , what part is unclear ? Is it , by planting the bait , ( bait that the so called baiters would have used ) makes it legal ? And for what you wrote >>

(spreading lies, because where feed is dumped for a long period of time (baiting) will attract deer for a long period where small food plots will be gone in a short time.)

Makes you sound foolish , when the rest in here are talking about how it will feed wildlife all year ! And I think if it was legal , baiters would bait maybe a couple of weeks , if that! So don't go and say a plot that was planted for food to last a little while , wasn't put there for a attractant , to harvest a deer! Also , the record book ( pope and young , and boone and crockitt ) don't really mean anything anymore with all the antler growth products out there , its just not right for some to be in there , if they had help growing by chemicals put out there for that purpose !! Remember , I'm not against food plots , just the issue that its not baiting !!

BFT